Two firefighters were hospitalised after collapsing while battling a fire that engulfed the top floor of a three-storey residential building in Ketu-Ikosi, Lagos, on Sunday morning.
Two firefighters are receiving treatment after collapsing while battling a fire that razed the top floor of a three-storey residential building in Ketu-Ikosi, Lagos, on Sunday.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the fire broke out around 6:31 a.m. at one of a pair of twin residential buildings located at No. 11, Ademola Taiwo Street.
LASEMA spokesperson, Olawale Afolabi, said emergency responders, including the agency’s Tiger Squad and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, swiftly contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to the adjoining building and nearby properties.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was triggered by an electrical surge from a prepaid meter installed on the building’s balcony, which spread to the top floor.
During the firefighting operation, two personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service collapsed and were immediately evacuated to the Trauma Centre by LASEMA emergency teams. Both officers are reported to be in stable condition and responding to treatment.
No civilian casualties or injuries were recorded.
Afolabi said dampening-down operations were ongoing to prevent a recurrence, while recovery efforts continued to secure the building and assess the extent of the damage.
LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, urged residents to regularly inspect and maintain electrical installations, particularly prepaid meters and wiring, to reduce the risk of fire outbreaks. He also reminded the public to call the state’s emergency toll-free lines, 112 or 767, in the event of emergencies.