A car dealer who operated beside the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) filling station at Yaya Abatan, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, which went up in flames on Monday, lost over eight vehicles.
Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said on Tuesday that the fire destroyed a total of 30 vehicles.
Oke-Osanyintolu told NAN that a tanker with 33,000 litres of diesel caught fire while discharging its content into an underground tank at the NNPC filling station.
“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, other emergency responders jointly fought and subsequently extinguished the flames at about 4.49 p.m.
“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 said those present during the recovery operations were the Commissioner for Special Duties, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins; Chairman, Ifako Local Government Council, Toba Oke; Federal and Lagos State Fire Services as well as National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
He said that other security agencies present were Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Oke-Osanyintolu said that four recommendations were provided to prevent future fire outbreaks such as continuous sensitisation and advocacy on fire safety measures by relevant government agencies.
Others, he said, were encouraging installation of fire extinguishers at both public and private domains, and fire hydrant at filling stations.
