By Olasunkanmi Akoni

An early morning fire on Wednesday destroyed a cluster of makeshift residential structures and valuables at No. 9/10 Abudu Street, Abule Oja, along UNILAG Road, Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has commenced investigation into the cause of the incident.

Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said no life was lost in the fire following the swift response of emergency responders.

He said the situation was brought under control through a joint operation involving officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, UNILAG Fire Service, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Nigeria Police Force and LASEMA.

Oke-Osanyintolu explained that the fire spread rapidly due to the close arrangement of the structures and the combustible materials used in their construction.

“The fire affected a cluster of residential makeshift structures. Due to the proximity of the buildings and the combustible materials within, the flames spread rapidly on arrival of responders.

“Coordinated intervention prevented the fire from spreading to nearby buildings. Responders also successfully salvaged an adjoining two-storey building. Most importantly, no loss of life was recorded,” he said.

He added that damping-down operations were carried out to extinguish remaining hotspots and prevent a secondary outbreak, while the area was secured for public safety.

The LASEMA boss disclosed that a comprehensive damage assessment had commenced, adding that relevant government agencies had been mobilised to provide relief materials and humanitarian support to affected residents.

“However, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, while the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has commenced investigations in collaboration with other agencies,” he said.

Oke-Osanyintolu commended the emergency responders for their professionalism and urged residents to adhere to fire safety measures, including avoiding substandard electrical installations, preventing socket overloads, and equipping homes and businesses with fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.