Five persons were killed and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in over 50 emergencies recorded across Lagos and Ogun states at the weekend.
Fires in Lagos alone accounted for about 40 of the cases, said the Fire Service Director, Rasaq Fadipe.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Southwest spokesman Ibrahim Farinloye made this known yesterday, while reacting to the fire which razed Rida Plastic Company Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
He said there was a car explosion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital, and wild bush fire in Ipokia in the river rine area of the state.
He said: “Nigerians especially private sector company owners and tanker drivers are seriously implored to take safety consciousness seriously and guide against unsafe practices as the new phase of dry season is coming up. Parents and schools should educate children and the elderly to know basic unsafe actions.”
Two of the incidents involved vehicles plunging into the Majidun River, Ikorodu, and the lagoon by Mekwen Bridge by Marina on Friday and Saturday.
Three bodies were recovered in the Ikorodu accident; 23 were injured. A woman identified as Chinagorom Fustine drowned in the Marina crash, but the driver, Felix Aniele, of the saloon car, marked MUS38BL, swam to safety.
The fifth death was recorded on Saturday morning after a fuel laden tanker lost control, rammed into a pedestrian and fell by Totowu riverside on Isuti Road, spilling its content into the canal.
Fire gutted 317, Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo; a three-storey building Rabiatu Thompson Street, Surulere; Phoenix Steel Mill in Odogunyan, Ikorodu; 5, Ibidoja Street, Alaba International and 2, Museyo Street, Eleko Beach.
Also, emergency workers attended to fires at 33, Shittu Basiru Street, Isheri Osun, Igbogbo Sawmill, Bookshop House at CMS, a company, Samchase Nigeria Limited at 25, Isolo Industrial Estate and Gbagada General Hospital.
There was inferno at 17, Rauf Williams Street, Lagos State Polytechnic in Ikorodu 22, Bariga Road, Bariga, Kareem Ikotun Street, Sabo, the Plank Market at Oke Afa, Isolo and a studio at 173, Moshood Olugbani Street, Victoria Island. Some shops were razed beside old NEPA office in Badagry.
According to Fadipe, the fire service responded to 19 calls on Friday, 18 on Saturday, and five as at 4:30pm yesterday.
He blamed the harmattan for the rising incidence, urging residents to be cautious with how they use fire and inflammable items.
Fadipe said: “We have been very busy since Friday responding to fire calls. For the bookshop fire alone, seven trucks of 10,000 water capacities were deployed and each of them was replenished three times. We also used seven drums of chemicals used to battle oil fire. At Oshodi, six water trucks and 11 drums of chemicals were used.
“People should endeavour to call the emergency lines once there’s an outbreak. They shouldn’t assume they can put it out on their own because the weather we are experiencing now escalates fire. While they are trying to put it out, they should also call us so that we would respond in good time.”
Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations Mr Seye Oladejo, who was at the Oshodi plastic factory fire scene spoke in the same vein, saying: “We noticed the escalation of fires since Friday when we had a sudden change in weather as harmattan suddenly came back. Since then, we have recorded about 40 fire incidents in different parts of the state. Fire incidents are mainly caused either by accident or sheer carelessness on the part of our people.’’
