50 killed, 223 rescued in 1,085 emergencies, Fire service says

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service’s midyear report disclosed that 50 people likely lost their lives and 223 were saved in various emergencies that the agency responded to over the past six months.

Margaret Adeseye, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, presented a comprehensive overview of the agency’s performance during the first half of 2024.

“The service responded to a total of 1,085 incidents, including 884 fire calls and 191 rescue operations. Notably, fire calls peaked in January and February with 186 each, then declined to 97 in June. Rescue calls were highest in May at 40,” the director said in the Thursday report.

The service also addressed 10 collapsed building incidents, with a significant spike of five in May. Additionally, there were 331 false calls, which it said underscored the need for public education on proper emergency call usage.

“A total of 223 victims were rescued alive, with March and April seeing the highest numbers at 50 and 49, respectively. Tragically, 50 victims were recovered suspected dead, with May accounting for 23 of these cases,” Adeseye added.

These figures, according to the agency, emphasised the importance of continuous improvement in emergency response and building safety measures.

In June, fire gutted Christ Embassy church headquarters in Lagos and a building collapsed after a downpour in the Mushin area of Lagos in early July where seven persons were rescued.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Gbolahan Oki, attributed the collapse of the two-storey building to the use of substandard materials.

Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, announced that the owner of the collapsed building will face legal action for defying a previous stop-work order issued by the government and for tampering with the seal that had been placed on the building.