2 siblings die, 6 injured in Lagos fire
Two children of same parents died yesterday in an early morning fire that engulfed a house at Igbo Efon, in Lekki area of Lagos State. A source said the fire spread as a result of the numerous electrical wires in the house.
A witness said the fire started around 5am from the kitchen but that it was not noticed immediately.
“By the time it was realised that the two children were still trapped in the house, the fire had already spread to the roof top,” the witness said.
Aside the kids that died in the inferno, about six other persons, including the owner of the house, sustained major injuries. The injured are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in the area.
Property worth millions belonging to occupants of the house were also destroyed in the process.
Ibrahim Farinloye, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the South-west Region, who confirmed the fire outbreak said the agency received the information around 5am.
He stated that upon receipt of the information, the agency moved some of its officials to the place.
“On arrival, we discovered that House No. 11 Fabiyi Street, Igbo Efon, Lekki, Lagos State, was on fire. At the scene, we met officials of both the federal and state Fire Service as well as some neighbours battling to put out the fire. We tried to move residents out of the house to a safe place. It was while we were doing head count of those living in the building that we discovered that two children were missing. The bodies of the deceased kids have since been moved to government mortuary,” he added.
Farinloye said fire started from a cooking gas and spread to other parts of the house within ten minutes. He said two kids, a boy and a girl who died in the inferno, were visitors from Ikoyi, and were supposed to stay in the house until after Saturday’s elections.
“Evacuation of occupants was done by neighbours but no one gave detailed information about the visitors. They were said to be hiding under a bed when the fire started. When their host remembered that the children were still inside, it was already too late. They died before help could get to them,” he said.
Farinloye advised members of the public to be careful when cooking, particularly with gas. He said some other people sustained major fire burns while trying to put out the fire and that the injured are currently being treated at various hospitals in the area.
