Lagos: Fire wreaks havoc in Ebute-Meta

From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

Properties and goods running into millions of naira were gutted by a late night fire outbreak in Lagos, on Monday.

According to NEMA Spokesperson for South-West, Ibrahim Farinloye, the fire incident, which happened at Oko Baba area of Ebute-Meta of Lagos, started at about 10 pm. The inferno was said to have gutted five bungalow buildings, multiple bolt buildings and sawmill factories operating in the area.

Speaking further, Ibrahim revealed that though no lives were lost, the fire fighters and other emergency staff who responded to distress call were almost hampered in their efforts to quell the fire by hoodlums and streets urchins who he alleged attempted to snatch the fire-fighting equipment from the fire officer while protesting the late arrival of the fire men. In the brawl he said, emergency staffs and sympathizers who had also arrived at the scene to help ran for cover as the hoodlums went wild.

However, Ibrahim said the hoodlums were later prevailed upon to allow good reasoning take effect, but not after they have smashed the windscreen of one the fire fighters truck.

In a related development, a three bedroom flat of a storey building on No 14 Ayoade Street, Bajulaiye Somolu Lagos was also gutted by fire; no lives were also lost in this incident

When our correspondent visited the scene this morning, residents of buildings affected as well as those who operate the sawmills were seen bewailing their fate.