Two rescued, one injured as fire guts bungalow in Itire, Lagos

Two men have been rescued from a fire that gutted an eight-room bungalow at Onitire Road, Smith Bus Stop, Itire, Lagos, with one of them sustaining burn injuries while attempting to save an elderly man.

A statement by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said the incident occurred at 43 Onitire Road, Itire. The emergency call was received at about 9:10 p.m., while firefighters arrived at the scene at 9:35 p.m. and immediately began firefighting operations.

During the operation, firefighters rescued a 75-year-old wheelchair user from the bungalow. A 42-year-old man, who sustained burn injuries while trying to save the elderly man, was also rescued and taken to Gbagada General Hospital by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, for medical attention.

The fire affected the eight-room bungalow and spread to a three-bedroom flat on the upper floor of an adjoining two-storey residential building. The bungalow and its contents were severely damaged, while the affected section of the adjoining building and its contents sustained minor damage.

Personnel from the Isolo, Sari and Bolade fire stations of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service handled the firefighting operation, with support from the Federal Fire Service, Ojuelegba.

Other agencies present at the scene included the Lagos Response Unit, LRU, LASAMBUS, officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Itire Division and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.

“The fire was successfully brought under control.

Preliminary assessment suggests that negligence resulting to an electrical surge may have caused the incident; however, the exact cause remains subject to further determination,” the statement said.  

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

She also advised residents to switch off electrical appliances when not in use and report fire emergencies promptly through the agency’s toll-free lines.