22nd February, 2012
Part of the third floor of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria was gutted by fire early this morning.
It was gathered that four offices on the third floor got burnt along with vital documents.
One of the rooms gutted by fire is the Account office of the Ministry.
An official of the ministry who craved anonymity said the fire was caused by power surge when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN restored power last night.
No official statement has been issued yet by the authorities of the ministry on the issue.
Security officers of the ministry were said to have noticed flames on the third floor and quickly raised an alarm.
Officials of the Lagos State Fire Service raced to the scene and were able to quench the fire, after it had gutted about four rooms.
Staff of the ministry came to their offices this morning only to be greeted by the news of the fire, while officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, cordoned off the third floor.
Cleaners from the ministry were seen cleaning the burnt rooms, while top officials of the ministry were seen assessing the damage.
People who had no business to do in the ministry were turned back at the reception. When asked, the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, Dr Taofeek Folami said there was no comment yet as the ministry was still investigating the cause of the fire.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga