A fire broke out on Thursday at the General Hospital in Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, engulfing parts of the hospital’s three-storey building and sparking panic among patients, staff, and bystanders.
The incident occurred along College Road, a busy area in the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing thick smoke rising from the hospital structure as emergency responders made their way to the scene.
The fire was first brought to public attention through a video shared on Facebook.
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“Happening now at General Hospital Ifako-Ijaiye, College Road. Please repost. Help is needed,” Modinat Melemuku, wrote on Facebook alongside footage showing smoke billowing from the building.
Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were seen arriving to contain the blaze, while residents gathered outside the hospital, expressing concern that patients, particularly nursing mothers and infants, could be trapped inside.
As of the time of filing this report, there were no confirmed reports of casualties. Efforts to evacuate patients and staff were ongoing, while the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
The incident follows a series of fire outbreaks in Lagos healthcare facilities in recent months. In March, a similar fire at the Ago Medical Centre in Okota was linked to a power surge after electricity was restored to the building.
The Lagos State Government officials have since reiterated calls for rigorous fire safety compliance across public institutions.
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The Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital has recently undergone upgrades, including the adoption of electronic medical records in 2024 and the donation of a new neonatal building by the Rotary Club of Omole Golden in January 2025. These developments signal the hospital as a growing maternal and child care centre in Lagos’ public health network.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has yet to comment on it.
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