Two rescued, one injured as fire damages Lagos bungalow and nearby building

A blaze that consumed an eight-room bungalow on Onitire Road in Itire, Lagos, led to the rescue of two adult men, one of whom was burned as he tried to help an elderly man, according to authorities. The fire started at 43 Onitire Road, close to Smith Bus Stop, and also reached a three-bedroom flat on the upper level of a neighboring two-storey residential structure, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said. In a statement issued Tuesday, October 13, by Senior Public Affairs Officer Fadairo Maria, the service reported that the emergency call came in around 9:10 p.m. Fire crews reached the location at 9:35 p.m. and began firefighting and rescue work without delay. The agency said a 75-year-old man was pulled alive from the bungalow. A 42-year-old man, who attempted to rescue the older man, a wheelchair user, suffered burns. The injured man was later transported by Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) personnel to Gbagada General Hospital for treatment. The service said the bungalow and its contents were heavily damaged, while the affected portion of the two-storey building and its contents suffered only minor damage. Regarding what may have sparked the fire, the fire service said an initial assessment pointed to negligence that resulted in an electrical surge as a possible cause, but the precise origin had not yet been confirmed. Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, called on residents to take steps to prevent electrical fires. She advised that electrical installations be kept in proper condition, that sockets not be overloaded, and that qualified electricians be hired to inspect and repair defective electrical systems, according to the statement. The agency also encouraged the public to report fires through its toll-free emergency numbers, 112 or 767, or the Lagos Fire hotline, 08033235891.