The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, has attributed over 80 per cent of fire and related emergency incidents in Lagos to carelessness.

She made this statement yesterday while announcing her agency’s plan to host the 2nd Lagos International Fire Safety Conference (LIFSC 2.0).

Adeseye noted that this year’s conference would build on the success of LIFSC 1.0, which attracted over 1,800 delegates in 2024. Highlighting the focus on mitigation, she said, “Carelessness accounts for over 80 per cent of fire and related emergency incidents in Lagos. LIFSC 2.0 is our platform to drive home the message that ‘the best fire fought is the one prevented,’ equipping residents and businesses with the tools to mitigate fire risks effectively.”

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, operating under the Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, stated that no fewer than 2,000 delegates, including industry experts, policymakers, emergency responders, market dwellers, and community leaders, would gather to tackle critical fire safety challenges.

The three-day conference, themed “Leveraging Technology and Community Engagement to Prevent Fires,” will take place at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, from August 12 to 14, 2025.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is expected to deliver the keynote address and declare the conference open.

LIFSC 2.0 aims to promote disaster risk reduction in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, and beyond by fostering a culture of prevention, preparedness, and mitigation while building resilience. The event will feature workshops, expert panel sessions, cutting-edge exhibitions on disaster risk management, dangerous goods handling, live demonstrations of fire suppression systems, and an expo showcasing state-of-the-art fire safety equipment.