75-year-old man r£scued as fir£ guts two buildings in Lagos

75-year-old man rescued as fire guts two buildings in Lagos

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service says a 75-year-old man was rescued on Monday night as fire razed two buildings in the Itire area of Lagos.

In a statement on Tuesday, Fadairo Maria, senior public affairs officer of the Lagos fire service, said the affected buildings are located at 43 Onitire Road, Smith Bus Stop, Itire.

According to the statement, firefighters also rescued a 42-year-old man “who sustained burn injuries in his earlier bid to rescue the wheelchair-ridden aged man”.

Maria said the operatives received an emergency call at approximately 9:10pm and arrived at the scene at 9:35pm, with firefighting operations commencing immediately.

“The fire involved an eight-room bungalow and extended to a three-bedroom flat on the upper floor of an adjoining two-storey residential building,” the statement reads.

“The bungalow and its contents were severely damaged by the fire, while the affected section of the two-storey building and its contents sustained minor damage.”

Maria said personnel from the Isolo, Sari and Bolade fire stations of the Lagos fire service carried out the rescue operation, with support from the Federal Fire Service in Ojuelegba and police officers from the Itire division, among others.

The statement said the fire was successfully contained, adding that a preliminary assessment suggested that an electrical surge caused by negligence triggered the incident.

However, it added that “the exact cause remains subject to further determination”.

Maria said Margaret Adeseye, controller-general of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, urged residents to ensure that electrical installations are properly maintained, avoid overloading electrical sockets and engage qualified electricians to inspect and repair faulty electrical systems.