It was a black Friday. Fire raged and engulfed a medical center in the Ago-Okota axis of Isolo, Lagos State.
Fire raging at the medical centre in Ago-Okota
According to information gathered, a power surge caused the fire outbreak. The surge led to a spark when public electricity power supply was restored. Residents and occupants of the centre were thrown into confusion and panic.
The fire which was said to have started earlier in the day, spread through the building, destroying medical equipment, drugs, and patient records.
Distressed calls were received as at at 6:30pm to the 767/112 Emergency Toll-Free Lines and the LASEMA and the state’s emergency response plan and its response team from Oshodi was activated.
On reaching the venue, the emergency response team faced serious obstructions with ease of access to the affected building and narrow roads as well as parked vehicles on the paths that were not left out.
Patients, visitors, and employees were safely evacuated from the premises while some patients relocated to nearby hospitals for continued care.
According to the LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu “Upon arrival at 18.50hrs, LASEMA’s Eagle Response Team discovered that sections of a storey building which housed a hospital were being gutted by fire at the aforementioned address.
“Preliminary investigations conducted by LASEMA’s Eagle Response Team revealed that the immediate cause of the inferno was a power surge which led to a spark when public electricity power supply was restored,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He stated that no lives were lost nor injuries recorded due to the incident. Onsite the incident were emergency responders like the LASEMA Response Team, LASEMA Fire Unit, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos Neighborhood and Security Corps and the Nigeria Police Force.
He stated that the fire was being contained through collaborative efforts of the LASEMA Response Team Fire Unit and other responders, to prevent it from spreading to adjoining buildings in the area.