Fire razes building in computer village, Lagos
A fire outbreak early Tuesday morning destroyed a one-storey commercial building in Lagos’ Computer Village, Ikeja, causing losses estimated at millions of naira.
The incident occurred on Somoye Osundairo Street, where the affected building housed traders dealing in computers and electronic accessories. The fire was reported at about 1:55am.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were immediately deployed from the agency’s command and control centre in Alausa. According to LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Lagos Response Team arrived at the scene around 2:15am and encountered intense flames and thick smoke, worsened by the presence of highly combustible electronic materials.
He explained that the fire quickly engulfed the upper floor of the building, completely destroying it. Despite the severity of the blaze, no lives were lost. However, one firefighter from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service sustained minor injuries and was treated on the spot by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
Oke-Osanyintolu said the emergency operation was a coordinated, multi-agency response involving LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS, and the Nigeria Police Force. Responders carried out a risk assessment, secured the area, and took precautionary measures to protect nearby structures, successfully preventing the fire from spreading.
He added that firefighting efforts have moved into the damping-down stage to eliminate the risk of re-ignition, while rescue and recovery operations have been completed.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. LASEMA has recommended a thorough investigation into the incident, as well as an urgent structural integrity assessment of the building due to partial damage sustained during the fire.
