The apartment. Photo: Samson Folarin
Tragedy
struck on Allen Avenue, in the Ikeja area of Lagos State, after a
yet-to-be-identified teenage girl was killed in a fire disaster.
struck on Allen Avenue, in the Ikeja area of Lagos State, after a
yet-to-be-identified teenage girl was killed in a fire disaster.
PUNCH Metro
learnt that the victim was locked up inside her parents’ apartment on
the second floor of the two-storeyed building on Ladipo Kuku Street.
learnt that the victim was locked up inside her parents’ apartment on
the second floor of the two-storeyed building on Ladipo Kuku Street.
Her
mother, who was alleged to be cooking in the kitchen, was said to have
left the house and gone outside when the incident happened.
mother, who was alleged to be cooking in the kitchen, was said to have
left the house and gone outside when the incident happened.
Our correspondent was told that the fire, which began from the kitchen, engulfed the house and killed the child.
Residents said the fire began raging around 6pm on Wednesday.
A security
guard, Mohammed Amadu, who was part of the local rescue team, explained
that other tenants in the house had travelled for the Yuletide, adding
that only the deceased and her mother were at home.
guard, Mohammed Amadu, who was part of the local rescue team, explained
that other tenants in the house had travelled for the Yuletide, adding
that only the deceased and her mother were at home.
The girl’s father was said to be late.
He said,
“It was around 6pm that the incident happened. I was outside with some
other security guards when we suddenly saw smoke billowing from the roof
of the building. We quickly rushed there and discovered that the house
was on fire and it was coming from the kitchen.
“It was around 6pm that the incident happened. I was outside with some
other security guards when we suddenly saw smoke billowing from the roof
of the building. We quickly rushed there and discovered that the house
was on fire and it was coming from the kitchen.
“We
mobilised to the scene and began pouring water to douse the flames, but
it continued raging. We could not access the building because everywhere
was locked. We were only fighting the fire from outside.”
mobilised to the scene and began pouring water to douse the flames, but
it continued raging. We could not access the building because everywhere
was locked. We were only fighting the fire from outside.”
He said shortly afterwards, the victim’s mother arrived at the house and told them her child was in the house.
Another
resident, who did not give his name, said efforts to put out the fire
was abortive, adding that officials of the Lagos State Fire Service
later arrived with two trucks.
resident, who did not give his name, said efforts to put out the fire
was abortive, adding that officials of the Lagos State Fire Service
later arrived with two trucks.
He said,
“But by the time the firefighters arrived, it was already too late. The
child was dead and all they could do was to remove her burnt corpse. It
was unfortunate because she was her only child.”
“But by the time the firefighters arrived, it was already too late. The
child was dead and all they could do was to remove her burnt corpse. It
was unfortunate because she was her only child.”
A resident, who was close to the family, said the deceased was retarded and was always locked up in the house.
She said,
“It is a pity that the girl had to die such a painful death. She had
down-syndrome and that probably informed why the mother always locked
her in the house. She is about 17 years old.”
“It is a pity that the girl had to die such a painful death. She had
down-syndrome and that probably informed why the mother always locked
her in the house. She is about 17 years old.”
PUNCH Metro
gathered that policemen from the Ikeja division arrested the victim’s
mother for questioning on the circumstances surrounding the death.
gathered that policemen from the Ikeja division arrested the victim’s
mother for questioning on the circumstances surrounding the death.
The
Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, who confirmed
the death in a text message, said firefighters from the Alausa division
responded to the incident.
Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, who confirmed
the death in a text message, said firefighters from the Alausa division
responded to the incident.
He said, “The fire affected a two-storeyed building in Ikeja. A girl was found consumed by the fire.”
Fadipe,
who urged Lagosians to take precautions during the harmattan period,
said the agency responded to 14 fire emergencies on Wednesday.
who urged Lagosians to take precautions during the harmattan period,
said the agency responded to 14 fire emergencies on Wednesday.
He said
the fire service was working hard to protect lives and property in the
state, appealing to residents to assist the agency by calling the
emergency numbers on time.
the fire service was working hard to protect lives and property in the
state, appealing to residents to assist the agency by calling the
emergency numbers on time.