AIDED by dry harmattan elements, fire outbreaks are wreaking havoc across the country. Serious incidents have occurred in Adamawa, Edo, Kano and Kwara states in the past month, leaving widespread destruction in their wake. Almost on a daily basis, fire destroys homes, markets, shops and property in Lagos State. Major markets and shops have been laid waste by fire in Rivers, Sokoto, Oyo and Ekiti states as well. Since the dry season is in full swing, it will take concerted and strategic efforts by government agencies and the people to arrest the trend.
The most harrowing incidents have occurred in the middle of the night. One of them happened last week in the main market in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, when traders had left for their homes. When they returned the following day, they met only the embers of their shops. Though no life was lost, 90 shops were razed, and goods estimated at millions of naira destroyed. The Benin Pipeline Timber Market suffered the same fate on January 5. The victims have suffered untold losses.
There was a similar scenario a few days later at the Alaba Electronics Market in Lagos when a power surge allegedly caused a spark, which escalated to an inferno. Apart from Alaba, there have been fire incidents in Oshodi. The Lagos State Fire Service said it responded to 257 fire emergency calls between December 1 and December 30, 2015. Fifteen persons were rescued from such scenes during the period, with six corpses recovered. This is a high price to pay.
To confirm the increasing string of fire disasters, the National Emergency Management Agency said there were 12 fire incidents in Lagos on September 9, 2015 alone. The Lagos fire service recorded 64 emergency fire calls between January 1 and January 6. At the weekend in Osogbo, Osun State, Lamina Ishola, aged 75, was burnt to death when a lantern he lit ignited an inferno that consumed him.
In Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, officials said 70 houses and shops were burnt, and goods worth N500 million destroyed at the Omitowoju area when the spilled contents of a fallen petrol tanker caught fire. That was in mid-December. Two weeks ago, fire ravaged the Sanyo market in the same city. Forty shops were razed in the incident that started at 1am, when electricity was restored. A trader agonised, “Two years ago, there was a similar fire and I suffered a loss. I just stocked my shop and see me now.” In a space of three days in the last week of December, fire twice ravaged the Sango Alaro Market in the Oyo State capital. The Oja Titun Market in Ilorin, Kwara State, was also razed.
In Kano State, fire gutted four student hostels at the Government Secondary School, Gwarzo, on January 6. A day earlier, a diesel tanker exploded in Malumfashi, Katsina State, which destroyed buildings and vehicles. Traders suffered heavy losses in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State on January 5 when 12 shops were burnt at a complex that had, among others, an animal feeds store, a computer centre, agrochemicals and textile outlets. A victim said, “The shop is finished. I have nothing else, even N1 is not in my pocket again.” How horrible.
Many residents of Nnewi, Anambra State, mourned during the Yuletide following an explosion at a gas plant. The casualties, who were burnt to death, included workers, clients and passers-by. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had to relocate medical doctors at the state-owned Braithwaite Hospital in Port Harcourt to Government Guest Houses after their quarters went up in flames late last month. Last weekend, the Lafia Timber Market in the Nasarawa State capital was also burnt. Although the figures for 2015 have yet to be released, the Federal Fire Service said 262 people perished in 368 fire disasters nationwide in 2011; 187 people died in 470 incidents in 2012.
Experts attribute the recent high rate of fire incidents to carelessness, especially the improper storage of petrol at homes, shops and offices due to the nationwide petrol scarcity. Other causes are the indiscriminate burning of bush/refuse, negligence in not switching off electrical appliances after use, using candle on wooden furniture, unsafe disposal of cigarette butts and use of fireworks. In some cases, arson is a factor.
The solution? Adapt to changes in weather, say experts. National Emergency Management Agency advises Nigerians to be “more safety conscious” to weather the raging storm. Offices and property owners should prepare for eventualities by installing fire alarms, smoke detectors and extinguishers. They should give rudimentary training on preventing and managing fire. It is also critical for every business outfit to invest in insurance policies to mitigate fire disasters. The public must be sensitised to alert the authorities in emergency situations. For example, Lagos has two toll free numbers – 767 and 112 – in case of emergency.
Other states, local governments and the Federal Government and their agencies should employ the Lagos model to save lives and property. These agencies should be strengthened to fight fire outbreaks. Government needs to enforce town planning laws as fire fighters are often inhibited from reaching burning properties because of poor road networks. The National Fire Code, which has been in the works, should be approved and implemented to reduce the carnage.
