Inferno: Lagos govt isolates buildings to avoid disaster

The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Central Business District (CBD), Olanrewaju Elegushi, has said the two buildings preceding No 43 Martins street, gutted by fired had been isolated to avoid disaster.

Mr Elegushi made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

According to him, “the integrity of the building is very questionable because one side of the buildings at 45 and 41 Martins street have cracked and falling by itself as a result of the fire outbreak.”

“Between 10: 30 a.m of Tuesday and 6:00p.m of Wednesday the fire was yet to be put out, despite all efforts made by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) led by its Director General, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.

“I must commend the efforts of all the Lagos State Emergency agencies, Lagos State Safety Commission, Federal Fire Service and others for helping in preventing the fire from extending to other building in the area.

“The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), will carry out an integrity test of the two buildings preceding No 43 Martins street and if they fail the integrity test, then they will be demolished,” he said.

Mr Elegushi said Governor Sanwo-Olu had promised to assist the affected traders, who were with collateral damages, adding that the damages “would be measured after putting out the fire”.

“The operation is till ongoing, all the emergency response officers have been working since Tuesday with other stakeholders, and as we speak operation is still ongoing to put out the fire completely.

“After long hour of burning, the debris fell on a police officer, Sgt. Michael Dominic, and he died after getting to the hospital,” Mr Elegushi said.

He said that the main course of the fire was not yet ascertained.

The Acting Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Margret Adeseye, said that the service had enough chemical and fire engine to fight the fire.

She explained that it was difficult to put out the fire due to the industrial generator and diesel tank erected on top of the building.

The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that LASEMA was evacuating the debris with Doosan Excavator to enable fire service men penetrate the whole buildings and quench the fire. (NAN)