…aftermath of Balogun Market inferno
Benjamin Omoike
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has reiterated the need for all traders and residents in the state to desist from storing combustible materials in their various homes and shops to prevent fire outbreak which may lead to loss of life and property.
Speaking on the unfortunate fire outbreak which gutted a six-storey building at 43 Martins Street and a three-storey commercial building of lock-up shops at Dosunmo market on Tuesday, October 5, 2019, around 10:00am, Director General/CEO of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, explained that goods worth millions of Naira were destroyed as a result of the fire incident.
According to the Director General, incidents of fire outbreak is on the rise, due to the inability of property and shop owners to put necessary precautionary measures in place to avoid incidents that could have disastrous consequences. He appealed that storage of highly inflammable materials such as petrol, diesel and kerosene, should be avoided, asking people to desist from storing combustible materials at home or shops.
He further explained that the fire, which continued burning non-stop for about 24 hours despite all efforts to put it out by the LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire Service, UBA Fire crew, Federal Fire crew, Union Bank Skylift Fire Truck and other Emergency responders, was as a result of the combustible materials stored in the buildings which kept re-igniting the fire.
While seeking the support of residents of the state, especially shop owners, for adequate protection of lives and properties, the LASEMA Boss warns that everyone should desist from storing generators in their penthouses or roof tops as well as combustible materials in their various shops, because safety of lives and properties of Lagosians is paramount to the administration of the Governor of Lagos, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In addition, he explained that Government had made provision for fire hydrants in the past at Idumota and it’s environs, which was destroyed by the residents in that area. He, therefore, advises everyone to desist from such heinous act and to also install fire extinguishers in their various homes, offices and shops so as to forestall a future reoccurrence.
The State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while at the incident site on, Wednesday, October 6, commiserated with the traders on their losses, highlighting Government’s plans to carry out proper enumeration of the traders, businesses, property owners who suffered losses as a result of the fire in order to organise financial assistance, while harping on the regeneration of Lagos Island, saying that the Island is dominated by buildings which were over a century old.
Governor Sanwo-Olu stated that integrity tests will be conducted on all the buildings during the regeneration exercise, to ascertain thier integrity, while the very weak ones detected in the course of conducting the tests, would be pulled down to further reduce chances of disasters of such great magnitude in the state.
Dr. Oke-Osantintolu enjoins Lagosians and traders not to overbuild commercial areas, saying that they should respect the physical planning laws of the state regarding provision of roads, setbacks and parking spaces for vehicles and allowances for fire fighting appliances to penetrate the area in case of a fire incident.
He assured residents that there was no need to panic, nor hesitate to contact the relevant authorities in the event of any form of emergency/disaster through the state emergency toll free line 767 or 112.
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