The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is known for its tremendous effort towards protecting lives and properties, and efficient service delivery in the fulfillment of the security and governance sixth pillar of the THEMES Agenda under Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
The Director of the Agency, Adeseye Margaret Abimbola in her mid-year activity report revealed that the Agency is the first and major responder to emergency/disaster in the State and has been committed to being same.
She declared that a total of 1,462 (One thousand, four hundred and sixty-two) emergencies from the month of January to June 2023 were recorded. The distress calls included: Fire – 924, Rescue – 92, Salvage – 41, Explosion – 3, Building Collapse – 2 and False Calls – 400.
Furthermore, Adeseye disclosed in the mid-year activity report that the agency rescued a total of 177 (One hundred and seventy-seven) victims alive while 42 (forty-two) were recovered suspected dead. The estimated property saved is about N87.72 B (Eighty-seven billion and seventy- two million naira) leaving the property’s loss to N14.62B (Fourteen billion and sixty-two million naira).
She opined that Fire incidences increased indiscriminately from the same period compared to the previous year; Investigations revealed that carelessness and negligence were the major causes of the disaster.
She also noted that there was an increase in unfavorable calls that keep occurring due to the change of strategy in the attendance to distress calls without double-checking for false calls.
Other factors include climate change and the proliferation of domestic gas usage due to the spread of use as an alternative fuel, which also contributed to the increase in fire outbreaks.
The Fire boss, therefore, urges the public to desist from habits that may put unnecessary pressure on the Fire Service operations in the state while assuring that the agency has what it takes to ensure the mitigation of fire outbreaks.
She concluded by urging Lagosians to be safety conscious, especially with the advent of gas as the alternative source of fuel which has come to stay.
