Get Guardian on GoogleA cargo ship gutted by fire while anchored at the ENL Consortium Terminal in Apapa Port, Lagos State.
The section of the CHANG MIN, laden with cargoes which included CNG trucks, wooden products, tyres, and other highly combustible products, went up in flames.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), which confirmed the outbreak, said the fire was put out through a combined effort from the LASEMA Response Team-Onipanu, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Fire Unit.
LASEMA Permanent Secretary (PS), Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the fire was observed at the point of unloading and the cause is yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
He said: “Following distress alerts at 17:55hrs, the Lagos State Emergency Management (LASEMA) activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from the Cobra Base in Onipanu.
“Upon arrival at the scene, a cargo ship, CHANG MIN, laden with cargo which included CNG trucks, wooden products, tyres, and other highly combustible products, was observed to have caught fire within section two of the cargo hold.
“Preliminary investigations conducted by emergency responders at the scene revealed that the fire was observed at the point of unloading, and the cause is yet to be ascertained at the time of the report.
“No life was lost and no injuries were sustained by anyone as all seafarers on board have been accounted for.
“The Cobra Response Team, alongside all other responders at the scene, undertook the following actions: debrief from the crew on board to give more information to Emergency Response Teams as to the instruction that the compartment be totally shut to eliminate oxygen supply, while initial dampening down was being conducted;
“A fire response plan was agreed upon by emergency responders on a method to combat the inferno in the safest possible way to eliminate secondary incidents and also ensure the safety of all firefighters;
“Reopening of the cargo hold to enable fire teams to engage the inferno; location of fire and the ship floor plan.”
