The Lagos zone of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has pointed fingers at water scarcity as a major contributor to the devastating fire that consumed four buildings in the Idumota area of Lagos Island.
NEMA’s State Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, revealed in an interview that the absence of a nearby water source hampered firefighting efforts, leading to the uncontrollable spread of the flames and extensive property damage.
“The major problem we had today was the lack of a water source. We have over 10 firefighting appliances and in the whole of Lagos Island, there is nowhere we can source water. So, each of these firefighting appliances had to go about three to four times to fetch water.
“Julius Berger also had to supply us with 30,000 litres of water. Both the Federal Fire Service and the State Fire Service were on the ground, but there was not enough water.”
Despite the presence of firefighting appliances, the responders struggled due to the need to repeatedly fetch water from distant locations, exacerbating the situation.
Farinloye emphasized the urgent necessity for traders to collaborate with the government in establishing a water source near the market to prevent future calamities.
“The traders should be able to help by contributions so that they can drill a borehole or a fire hydrant section close to the market. Also, they should get some people for us who will be trained as fire marshals so that whenever there is a fire incident, these people can quickly attend to the fire. They should also ensure to insure their goods,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, attributed the fire outbreak to negligence and poor housekeeping among traders, compounded by the presence of combustible materials.
Despite the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies, including firefighting teams and emergency responders, the blaze ravaged three buildings and led to the collapse of one structure, with the flames spreading to adjacent properties.
