1st June, 2012
A 64-year old landlord, Moses Ajani, was this morning burnt to death when fire gutted his 12-room bungalow at Oworonshoki area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
The fire was said to have started at about 4:00 a.m. at 8, Sanya Olu Street, from a Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, service wire, which spread to the roof of the house and burnt everything inside it.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the night guard had alerted occupants of the house, who were still sleeping, that there was a fire outbreak.
While the landlord, who was said to have stroke was burnt to death before he could be rescued. While four of the occupants sustained some injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment, some of the occupants managed to escape unhurt.
Onlookers and sympathisers besieged the scene of the fire disaster this morning, while at least 12 policemen were also seen trying to maintain peace.
Fire servicemen from the Lagos State Government came late to the scene as everything had been burnt in the house before they arrived.
Mr. Segun Babatunde, Secretary, Oworonshoki Community, told P.M.NEWS that the fire started at about 4:00 a.m. from an obsolete PHCN electric service wire.
He lamented that the fire servicemen arrived the scene late. He also confirmed that the landlord of the house was burnt to death.
He appealed to the Lagos Stare Government to establish a fire service station at Oworonshoki for prompt response during fire disasters.
An eye witness, Kabiawu Babatunde, blamed PHCN for the disaster, saying it could have been averted.
According to him, before the incident happened, the community had written several letters to the state government to establish a fire service station at Oworonshoki but that nothing was done about it.
The Vice Chairman, Kosofe Local Government, Awosola Omotuyi, sympathised with the victims of the incident, saying “we are in a sober mood. We will assist the families of the victims. We will also demolish shanties in the area.”
—Kazeem Ugbodaga & Dedeigbo Ayodeji