Two firefighters have been hospitalised after collapsing while battling a fire that engulfed the top floor of a three-storey residential building in the Ketu-Ikosi area of Lagos State on Sunday morning.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the firefighters lost consciousness during efforts to contain the blaze but were promptly evacuated for medical treatment and are currently in stable condition.
LASEMA spokesperson, Olawale Afolabi, disclosed in a statement that the agency received a distress call at about 6:31 a.m. regarding the fire outbreak at No. 11, Ademola Taiwo Street, Ketu-Ikosi.
According to him, the incident involved one of a pair of twin three-storey residential buildings, with the fire completely engulfing the top floor before emergency responders arrived.
He said personnel of LASEMA’s Tiger Squad, working alongside the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, immediately commenced firefighting operations, successfully containing the blaze and preventing it from spreading to the adjoining twin building and neighbouring properties.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by an electrical surge from a prepaid electricity meter located on the building’s balcony, which subsequently spread to the upper floor.
“During the firefighting operation, two officers of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service collapsed while combating the fire,” Afolabi said.
He explained that the agency’s emergency response team immediately evacuated the affected firefighters to the Trauma Centre using a LASEMA ambulance and a response vehicle.
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“Both officers are currently receiving treatment and are in stable condition,” he added.
Afolabi noted that no civilian casualties or injuries were recorded during the incident.
He said dampening-down operations were ongoing to eliminate residual heat and prevent a fresh outbreak, while recovery efforts were also underway to secure the affected structure and assess the extent of the damage.
LASEMA commended the swift response and professionalism of emergency personnel, particularly members of the Tiger Squad and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, whose intervention prevented what could have become a more devastating fire disaster.
Reacting to the incident, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, urged residents to regularly inspect and maintain electrical installations, including prepaid meters and wiring systems, to reduce the risk of electrical fires.
He also advised members of the public to remain calm during emergencies and promptly contact the state’s toll-free emergency lines, 112 or 767, whenever urgent assistance is required.