Two die in Lagos building inferno

• Experts lament fewer fire stations
Two persons were confirmed dead yesterday after fire gutted two buildings on Ogunmokun Street, in Mushin area of Lagos State. It was gathered that the fire started at about 3:00p.m. after the girl lighted a gas cooker, which later exploded.

According to an eyewitness, the fire started from a three-storey building and it spread to the two-storey building beside it. “The houses are too close to each other. Nobody could go upstairs to rescue anybody because smoke covered everywhere. The fire service did not also show up until one hour after the incident. And when they came, they brought two fire trucks and soon ran out of water.

“Two bodies have been brought out so far, that of the girl suspected to have started the fire and a 53-year-old man, who was suffering from stroke and could not make any effort to save himself.”

Meanwhile, experts in safety management have called for more fire stations in the country to curtail the high rate of fire incidences. The professionals spoke yesterday at the second Lagos Fire Safety Conference, tagged: “Fire safety development plan- a sustainable approach,” held in Lagos. They expressed optimism that fire incidents in the country could be properly managed if enough measures were put in place.

Taking the lead of discussion, Managing Director of Safety Experts Limited, Mrs. Debbie Windele, explained that with the practice of safety standards at home, workplaces and public domains would translate to a safer environment and prevent loss to fire accidents. She added that with measures like the installation of fire alarms and smoke detectors, many fire incidents in homes and offices would also be prevented.

In her keynote address, the director general, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, who was represented by Director, Lagos Environmental Services Department of the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Iyabo Philips, said efforts were being made to promote the culture of safety within organisations.