103-year-old woman dies in Lagos fire incident

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Tragedy struck again in Lagos on Friday as a 103-year-old woman lost her life in a fire outbreak that gutted her apartment at No. 8, Bola Street, off Kadara Street, Oyingbo, Lagos Mainland Local Government Area.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident.

According to information gathered, the fire occurred while the centenarian was asleep in her apartment and was unable to escape before the blaze spread.

Speaking on the incident, Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu appealed to residents to strictly adhere to fire safety measures, explaining that the fire reportedly started in one of the rooms before spreading rapidly to other parts of the building.

As of press time, the immediate and remote causes of the fire had yet to be determined.

He said the inferno affected eight rooms and a living room, one unit of a room mini-flat, a self-contained apartment, six shops, and destroyed household property worth millions of naira.

“Following distress alerts received via the 767/112 toll-free emergency lines at about 11:43 hours, LASEMA activated the State Emergency Response Plan from its Onipanu Base.

“Upon arrival at the scene at about 12:13 hours, it was observed that a residential bungalow with two shops attached had been engulfed by fire.

“A risk assessment was immediately conducted, and the area was cordoned off. Necessary safety and precautionary measures were implemented to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings and the surrounding environment,” he said.

Although the fire was eventually brought under control after hours of intervention, Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed that the remains of the deceased had been handed over to her family for necessary action.

He commended the prompt response and coordination of emergency responders, which ensured a swift and safe operation.

First responders at the scene included the LASEMA Response Team from the Onipanu Base, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Vice Chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, Adewale Moshood Momo, officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), and other relevant agencies.

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