Fire razes building, claims life of 103-year-old woman in Lagos

A tragic fire incident claimed the life of a 103-year-old woman on Friday in the Oyingbo area of Lagos State.

The fire broke out at a residential building located at No. 8, Bola Street, off Kadara Street. According to reports, the blaze started in one of the rooms before rapidly spreading to other parts of the building

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency received a distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines at about 11:43 a.m., prompting the immediate activation of the state’s emergency response plan from its Onipanu Base.

He said LASEMA’s Response Team arrived at the scene by 12:13 p.m. and found a residential bungalow with two attached shops already engulfed in flames.

He disclosed that the fire affected eight room-and-parlour apartments, one mini-flat, a self-contained apartment, six shops and several household properties, with losses estimated at millions of naira.

As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire had not been ascertained.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, emergency responders conducted a risk assessment, cordoned off the area and implemented safety measures to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings.

‘’The fire was eventually extinguished, while the body of the deceased was handed over to her family,’’ he said

He commended the coordinated efforts of all first responders, including LASEMA officials, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and officials of Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of the State, for ensuring a swift and safe operation.