Lagos Government Reassures Residents on Safety After Afriland Towers Fire Tragedy

 

By Kayode Olopade 

The Lagos State Government has pledged to intensify efforts to safeguard lives and property across the state following Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, which claimed seven lives.

At a press briefing in Alausa on Wednesday, the government extended condolences to families, organisations and Lagosians who lost loved ones and valuables in the tragedy, urging the public to remain calm during emergencies to avoid preventable casualties.

Emergency responders explained that the fire originated from the basement of the building and that their response was swift, despite speculations circulating in some quarters. They cautioned against spreading unverified information and indicting the government, stressing that the priority was saving lives and preventing the inferno from spreading further.

Speaking at the briefing, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prompt and effective emergency response. He urged residents to refrain from peddling fake news, assuring that modalities were being strengthened to ensure that agencies deliver efficiently.

“The safety of lives and property of Lagosians remains paramount to us. We sympathise with families who lost loved ones and traders who lost goods, and we want to assure the public that our responders are working round the clock to forestall a recurrence,” Omotoso said.

Also in attendance were heads of the state’s emergency agencies, including the Director General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye; the Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola; the Director of Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Dr. Wuraola Makinde; and officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

The state government further sympathised with traders at Central Plaza near Mandilas Market, who also lost goods worth millions of naira in a separate fire incident on the same day.

Authorities assured that ongoing reviews of safety protocols would be intensified, even as Lagosians were advised to always adhere to safety regulations and cooperate with first responders during emergencies.