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By Christopher Oji
Forty- two persons died while I77 rescued in six months in 1,642 emergency kjincidents recorded in Lagos in six months .
The statistics under review was between January and June 2023,
Also ,N14. 62 billion properties were consumed by fire.
This disclosure was made yesterday, by the Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye , in her mid-year activity report made available to new Journalists.
A break down of the report showed that out of the 1,462 emergencies attended to, fire disasters ranked highest , with 924 incidents in different parts of the state.
Ninety-two emergencies on rescue were recorded, 41 on salvage, three on explosion, two on building collapse, while 400 false calls were received.
Furthermore, Adeseye disclosed in the mid-year activity report that ” The estimated properties saved is about N87.72 billion, leaving the properties loss to N14.62 billion”.
Adeseye in a statement signed by the agency’s Deputy Director, Public Affairs , Agboola Ololade, revelaed that, “fire incidences increased indiscriminately from same period compared to previous year.
“Investigations revealed that carelessness and negligence were the major causes of the disaster. There was 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 proliferation of domestic gas usage due to spread in use as alternative fuel, which also contributed to the increase of fire outbreaks”.
She therefore, urged Lagosians to be safety conscious, “especially with the advent of the gas as the alternative source of fuel which has come to stay.
” They should also desist from habits that may put unnecessary pressure on the agency’s operations in the state”,she stated, assuring that the agency had what it takes to ensure mitigation of fire.
