How 42 Persons Died in Lagos in Six Months

By Nicholas Ojo

No fewer than 42 persons have been killed while at least 1,642 fire incidents have been recorded between January and June 2023 in Lagos State.

This was made known by the Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, in its mid-year activity report. Stressing that 177 persons were rescued, while N14.62 billion properties were destroyed.

Adeseye explained that out of the 1,462 emergencies attended to, fire disasters ranked highest, with 924 incidents in different parts of the state. Adding that 92 emergencies on rescue were recorded, 41 on salvage, three on explosion, and two on building collapse, while 400 false calls were received.

The statement reads; “The estimated properties saved is about N87.72 billion, leaving the properties loss to N14.62 billion.

“Fire incidences increased indiscriminately from the same period compared to the previous year.”

“Investigations revealed that carelessness and negligence were the major causes of the disaster. There was an increase in unfavorable calls that keep occurring due to the change of strategy in the attendance to distress calls without double-checking for false calls, the added.”