Panic as fire guts fuel station, commercial building in Lagos

Two separate fire outbreaks on Wednesday threw parts of Lagos into chaos, as a fuel station in Obawole, Ifako-Ijaiye and a commercial building in Victoria Island were engulfed in flames.

The first incident occurred around 4 p.m. at a filling station located along Old Akute Road in the Iju Ishaga area. Eyewitnesses reported that the fire began with a sudden blast from the underground fuel tanks, which quickly escalated into a raging inferno, engulfing various sections of the station.

Residents of K Farms Estate and nearby communities were seen fleeing in panic as thick black smoke and fire spread rapidly. Many feared the flames would reach adjoining buildings, triggering emergency evacuations.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident, while the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service swiftly mobilised to the scene, barricading the area to control the blaze and prevent casualties.

Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noted that emergency responders were on the ground immediately after being alerted.

Spokesperson for the Lagos Fire Service, Shakiru Amodu, confirmed that the fire was successfully curtailed from spreading to nearby structures.

In a related incident, a fire outbreak was reported around 5:22 p.m. at a commercial building on 151 Amodu Bello Way, Victoria Island, directly opposite the Silverbird Galleria.

The Oniru fire service team was deployed to the scene and managed to bring the situation under control despite initial delays due to traffic congestion along the axis.

Fortunately, no lives were lost in both incidents, though investigations are expected to determine the exact causes of the fires.

Emergency responders remained at both sites into the evening, securing the areas and assessing the extent of damage.