The Lagos State Government has revealed a staggering toll of fire disasters in the state, with 82 lives lost and property worth N25.37 billion damaged in just one year. Despite this, safety officers from the State’s Emergency and Fire Rescue team successfully rescued 376 victims and preserved property worth N152.22 billion.
According to Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde, the state government is working to mitigate risks and protect life and property in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus developmental agenda.
Oyerinde disclosed this on Monday at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the first anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office held in Ikeja. He shared that the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) responded to 1,906 incidents between January 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, including 1,461 incidents in 2023 and 445 incidents in the first quarter of 2024.
To address safety infractions, the Lagos State Safety Commission carried out enforcement actions at 840 facilities, including event centers, clubs, lounges, and hotels, and issued fire safety compliance certificates to 5,220 facilities.
The commission also carried out 365 advocacy initiatives and collaborated with the Ministry of the Environment to improve the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Temporary Orientation Camp (Youth Hostel) at Iyana-Ipaja.
Additionally, three new fire stations are nearing completion in Ijegun-Egba, Satellite Town, and Ijede, and an ultramodern workshop at the Alausa headquarters is nearly finished to cater to the agency’s fleet maintenance needs.
Oyerinde stressed the importance of fire safety measures, citing key statistics from the year’s emergency calls, which lists 2,537 incidents, 1,627 fire calls, 191 rescue calls, 93 salvage calls, and 4 explosions, alongside 607 false alarms.
The welfare of personnel also received a boost, with special allowances approved for firefighters, including uniform maintenance, shift allowances, hazard allowance, and provision of personal protective equipment. According to the apacity development was prioritized through both foreign and local training and retraining programs to ensure readiness for emerging trends and mitigate fire incidents in the state.
