Two men have been rescued from a fire that destroyed an eight-room bungalow on Onitire Road, near Smith Bus Stop, Itire, Lagos State. One of the victims sustained burn injuries while attempting to save an elderly man.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service disclosed this in a statement, noting that the incident occurred at 43 Onitire Road, Itire.
According to the agency, an emergency call was received at about 9:10 p.m., while firefighters arrived at the scene at 9:35 p.m. and immediately commenced firefighting operations.
During the rescue operation, firefighters evacuated a 75-year-old man who uses a wheelchair from the burning building. A 42-year-old man, who suffered burns while trying to rescue the elderly victim, was also rescued.
The injured man was subsequently taken to Gbagada General Hospital by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) for medical treatment.
The fire ravaged the eight-room bungalow before spreading to a three-bedroom flat on the upper floor of an adjoining two-storey residential building. The bungalow and its contents were severely damaged, while the affected section of the adjoining building suffered minor damage.
Firefighters from the Isolo, Sari and Bolade stations of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service responded to the incident, with assistance from the Federal Fire Service, Ojuelegba.
Other agencies at the scene included the Lagos Response Unit (LRU), LASAMBUS, officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Itire Division and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
The agency confirmed that the fire was successfully brought under control. It added that preliminary findings suggested negligence resulting in an electrical surge might have caused the incident, although further investigations would determine the exact cause.
The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, advised residents to maintain proper electrical installations, avoid overloading sockets and engage qualified electricians to inspect and repair faulty wiring.
She also urged residents to switch off electrical appliances when not in use and promptly report fire incidents through the agency’s toll-free emergency lines.
