A twin duplex in Magodo Phase II, a Lagos suburb, was engulfed by fire, as reported by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Friday. Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, issued a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) detailing the incident.
According to Oke-Osanyintolu, the fire occurred at No. 16, Alhaji Jubril Street, Magodo Phase II. LASEMA’s response team from the Command and Control Centre in Alausa swiftly responded to the distress call received via the state’s Toll-Free Emergency numbers 767 and 112. They arrived at the scene at 08:02 hrs.
Upon arrival, it was discovered that the fire started around 7:05 a.m. in the main duplex, which consisted of about five rooms. The fire spread quickly, engulfing the roof and subsequently affecting the other wing of the duplex, comprising three bedrooms and a living room.
After conducting thorough investigations, it was determined that the fire originated from an electrical surge in an air conditioner unit in one of the rooms of the main duplex.
Fortunately, all occupants of the duplex were safely evacuated, and there were no injuries or fatalities reported. The joint efforts of LASEMA’s Response Team and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service helped extinguish the fire promptly upon arrival.
Despite the significant damage sustained by the duplex, particularly to the roofing and interiors, the fire did not spread to neighboring buildings, thanks to the quick intervention of the emergency responders.
The response teams managed to salvage the contents of the duplex, including furniture and personal belongings, minimizing the overall impact of the fire.
During the operation, one firefighter fell from the ceiling while dampening down the area, but was promptly rescued and attended to by the Lagos State Ambulance Service officials at the scene.
Ultimately, the inferno was successfully extinguished, and the LASEMA response team concluded their operation at the scene.