TheCable

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) says the fire outbreak at a retail filling station of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) destroyed 30 cars.

Pictures from the fire incident taken by TheCable can be found here.

The NNPC filling station fire is the latest in a series of outbreaks in less than one month since the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the federal capital territory (FCT).

Speaking with NAN on Tuesday, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA director-general, said a tanker with 33,000 litres of diesel caught fire while discharging its content at the station.

He said the fire was extinguished around 5pm, and that no casualty was recorded during the outbreak.

“The agency officials received a distress call at about 1 p.m. on April 27, concerning a fire outbreak at NNPC filling station located at Yaya Abatan bus stop, off College Road,” he said.

“The agency’s response team personally coordinated by myself, and other emergency responders jointly fought and subsequently extinguished the flames at about 4.49 pm.

“No casualty nor fatality was recorded, about 30 vehicles were affected. The combined effort of the emergency responders led to the salvage of properties and buildings nearby.”

Oke-Osanyintolu recommended sensitisation and advocacy on fire safety measures by relevant government agencies to curb further outbreaks.

He added that installation of fire extinguishers at both public and private places, and fire hydrant at filling stations should be encouraged.

Since April 8, 2020, there have been fire outbreaks at the Treasury House, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) headquarters, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) head office in Abuja, as well as in Dugbe market in Ibadan, Oyo state.