LASEMA Contains Three Lagos Fires, Averts Petrol Tanker Explosion

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) contained three separate fire outbreaks in Lagos Island, Ojodu Berger and Mushin, while preventing a possible explosion involving a fallen petrol tanker carrying 45,000 litres of fuel in Isolo.

The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in separate statements on Thursday, saying no deaths were recorded in the incidents.

The first fire occurred at Folashade Tinubu Ojo Ebute-Ero Market in the Gorodom area of Lagos Island at about 1:38 p.m.

The fire affected storage shops in a multi-storey building and spread from the ground floor to the upper floor.

Oke-Osanyintolu said an adult man who fell from the building during the incident was rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

He said emergency responders worked with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, police and other agencies to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby shops and buildings.

At 3Pots by 217 Lounge on Obokun Avenue, Ojodu Berger, another fire was linked to an electrical surge from an air-conditioning unit on the top floor of a two-storey building.

The fire destroyed property on that floor but did not spread to neighbouring buildings.

In Mushin, a fire at a shop on Ladipo Street spread to three adjoining shops after electricity supply was restored.

Responders brought the fire under control without any reported deaths or injuries.

Meanwhile, a petrol tanker carrying 45,000 litres of fuel fell at Ballet Bus Stop, inward Isolo, at about 4:46 p.m., spilling fuel from one compartment.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the driver had attempted to avoid a collision with an overtaking truck.

“In line with global best practice for highly inflammable product incidents, the Agency immediately shut down the road to prevent any possibility of explosion, activated crowd control and deployed its safety protocols,” he said.

The agency said firefighters applied foam to suppress fuel fumes while another tanker was arranged to transfer the remaining petrol.

LASEMA urged residents to observe electrical safety precautions and advised truck drivers against reckless overtaking.

It asked the public to report emergencies through 112 or 767.