Two hospitalised as fire ravages Lagos community

A woman and a young boy were injured yesterday when fire swept through the Hausa community in Orile-Agege, Lagos.

They are at the Agege General Hospital.

The fire, said to have been caused by power surge, raged for several hours, destroying shops, houses and goods.

It was gathered that the fire worsened when a high tension cable fell on a house where a cooking gas was on.

Some residents alleged that fire fighters told them that they had no water when they were called.

A woman, Iya Mariam, told The Nation that some properties would have been salvaged if the firefighters had responded in time.

She said: “My mum grinds pepper at that compound where fire broke out. I came to visit my mum there. I woke up in the morning to get my child ready for school and the next thing, I heard people screaming that a room was on fire.

“It later spread to other rooms. People called the firefighters, who said they did not have water.”

Mrs. Sherifat Aderibigbe, a pepper grinder, blamed the firefighters for not doing their job well.

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A trader, Bolanle Babatunde, said he quickly evacuated his children.

Imam Abdullahi said he was praying when the fire started, adding that he lost most of his goods.

The President of Arewa United (Consultative Forum), Alhaji Shuaibu Ado, said the fire spread from room to room when the cable fell.

“Although nobody died, we are pained now because we have lost belongings and money running into millions of naira.

“We appeal to the government to assist the victims and provide alternative accommodation for them.”

Seriki Hausa Alhaji Aminu said nobody died, adding: “I received a distress call early this morning that when electricity was restored, it sparked and affected a shop, resulting in fire.”