Posted by By CHRISTOPHER OJI, IJEOMA CHIMA and AMAKA OKPALA on
Hordes of sympathizers including security operatives and fire fighters on Tuesday watched helplessly as fire razed down a multi billion-naira company, NICAPACO on Sapara Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
Hordes of sympathizers including security operatives and fire fighters on Tuesday watched helplessly as fire razed down a multi billion-naira company, NICAPACO on Sapara Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
As at press time, other firms around the area, for fear of the fire spreading to their premises, were visibly seen evacuating their wares and other belongings.
There were also fear that welder doing some work in the company may have been consumed by the raging fire.
An eyewitness, Lekan Baruwa, who claimed to be a casual worker at the company told Daily Sun that at about 9.30 am, while a welder was busy mending some cracked pillars in the company, the iron sparked off fire, which later degenerated into a wild inferno.
Baruwa said the fire would have been successfully put off if the Lebanese owned company had fire-fighting equipment.
He said: 'We even made a distress call to both the state and federal fire services which arrived two hours late. Even when they arrived, they said that they had no water in their van but later some companies within the neighbourhood volunteered to give them water. Yet they watched helplessly as the fire consumed the entire company."
However, when Daily Sun visited the scene, about 50 armed policemen led by the Area F Commander, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, were on the spot to prevent street urchins populary known as Area Boys from cashing in on the situation to rob the companies that were evacuating their wares.
However, many companies including CFAO, SKG were seen evacuating their belongings such as cars and pick-up vans.
General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Femi Osanyitolu, told Daily Sun that the agency was there to assist fire fighters to put out the fire.
However, a concerned citizen, Abimbola Akin has appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, to call a meeting with foreign companies who operate in Lagos to advise them on the need to equip their companies with fire fighting equipment.
However, when contacted, the state police spokesman, Frank Mba, told Daily Sun said that no life was lost, adding that 'our men, led by Area F Commander, Taiwo Lekanu and other divisional police officers are on the ground to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the situation.
He advised companies with highly inflammable chemicals to take measures in safe guarding their premises with fire fighting equipment.