- Hoodlums Loot Lagos Warehouse Amid Chemical Fire at Mile II
- The fire reportedly broke out at a warehouse stocked with chemicals stored in hundreds of 200-litre drums
- Margaret Adeseye reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting lives and property
Hoodlums exploited a fire outbreak at a warehouse on Coker Market Road, Amuwo-Odofin Industrial Layout, Mile 2, Lagos, at the weekend, breaking into offices and shops and carting away valuables amid the chaos.
The fire reportedly broke out around 7:00 p.m. at the warehouse, which was stocked with chemicals stored in hundreds of 200-litre drums, raising serious safety concerns for neighbouring buildings and businesses.
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Eko Hot Blog gathered that on Sunday, the inferno was still raging as firefighters from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) battled to contain it. Fire crews from Ajegunle, Sari Iganmu, Okota and Alausa fire stations were deployed to the scene.
The fire service said a swift and coordinated response helped bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to adjoining structures. No casualties were recorded.
A source at the scene, who declined to be named, said firefighters only gained full access to the compound around 4:00 a.m. due to the hazardous nature of the chemicals stored in the warehouse.
“I was called around 7:00 p.m. and returned this morning because my office is in the adjoining building. The fire is intense, and the air is heavily polluted,” the source said.
Meanwhile, witnesses alleged that hoodlums took advantage of the situation to loot nearby premises while security presence was initially absent.
A witness, Kingsley Odi, claimed that suspected hoodlums from Ojo Road and Ajegunle invaded the area shortly after the fire started, breaking into shops and offices.
“They began breaking shops because police and soldiers were not around at first. They stole doors, tiles and water closets. They also broke into the office of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), assaulted the security guard, seized his phone and made away with computer systems,” Odi alleged.
He added that even children were involved in the looting and that business owners later mobilised soldiers to keep night watch after paying for security, amid threats by the hoodlums to return.
The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging residents and business owners to strictly comply with fire safety regulations.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the command would reach out to the Divisional Police Officer in the area and deploy additional security to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
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