The Lagos State Government announced on Tuesday that there has been a significant decrease in fire-related emergencies, with 450 individuals rescued from dangerous fire situations and properties valued at N117.12 billion saved throughout the state.
The report highlighting a 20 percent decrease in fire incidents in Lagos for 2024 was presented at the second Lagos International Fire Safety Conference (LIFSC), hosted by the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations.
The head of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margret Adeseye, announced this during the presentation of the 2024 Fire Report at a two-day event titled: “Leveraging Technology and Community Engagement to Prevent Fire,” held at the Federal Palace Hotels on Victoria Island.
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Adeseye mentioned that Lagos received a total of 1,952 emergency calls in 2024, with 1,607 of them being fire-related incidents that resulted in few injuries at the locations. He also noted that in 2023, the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service handled more than 2,500 emergency calls related to fire and rescue situations.
Adeseye mentioned that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, as part of efforts to minimize fire-related injuries, has enhanced its fire safety strategy and conducted fire risk assessments on 7,870 facilities in 2024.
As per her statement, the agency granted 7,039 fire permits to various establishments including companies, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, schools, training centers, shops, hospitals, and bakeries. However, she noted that although there were achievements in firefighting during 2024, the agency’s rescue efforts managed to recover 91 victims from accident scenes, while properties valued at N19.5 billion were beyond recovery.
At the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated that the significant drop in fire incidents in Lagos during 2024 was not accidental, emphasizing that this progress resulted from ongoing initiatives by his government to supply advanced firefighting tools, implement technology, and enhance movement.
The governor stated that this initiative had enhanced the ability of the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service to handle emergency situations as swiftly as possible in order to save lives and property.
In 2023, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service handled more than 2,500 emergency calls. As of last year, the number of incidents we addressed was fewer compared to the previous year.
This marks a notable decrease, indicating that our efforts in advocacy, communication, and community involvement are effective. It shows that people in Lagos are increasingly aware of their duties in recognizing potential dangers that could lead to severe fire incidents.
Due to the progress, it also indicates that we have enhanced our capacity to handle emergencies. We are starting to witness the impact of the collaboration among the Government, private sector, and communities in minimizing fire risks.
“The sharp decline in fire incidents clearly indicates the effectiveness of our chosen strategy. I am firmly convinced that the 2025 report will reveal further decreases in fire occurrences,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu revealed that his government has established 25 new fire stations throughout the state over the past six years to enhance fire and rescue services, mentioning that four additional stations are set to be completed in the near future.
The governor mentioned that his administration has supplied the state’s fire department with more than 60 standard fire trucks in the past two years, along with firefighting kits. He stated that, in addition to providing modern equipment to fight fires, the State has been concentrating on utilizing smart technology and encouraging active community involvement in developing fire resilience within communities.
He confirmed that Lagos had enhanced its firefighting abilities by acquiring drones capable of flying and identifying fire sources above tall buildings.
We are upgrading and modernizing our Command and Control Center. We are integrating the most advanced technology into the facility. We will enhance our ability to handle emergency calls and deploy appropriate rescue resources to any location within the state.
“We wish to establish fire stations that are nearer to the communities. At present, our response time to incidents is approximately 15 minutes. Our goal is to develop the required infrastructure and expertise to achieve a response time of five to seven minutes. This level of efficiency is appropriate for a major city like Lagos,” he stated.
The State Commissioner for Special Assignments and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde, stated that the conference formed part of initiatives launched by the ministry to raise awareness regarding fire safety and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.
Oyerinde stated that fire safety should not be considered solely the government’s duty, but rather a collective responsibility that demands active involvement from individuals, communities, and the private sector.
“Because of this, we have gathered at this conference, inviting experts to exchange views on the most recent effective methods in fire protection and management,” he stated.
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