A 42-year-old man has sustained burn injuries while attempting to rescue a 75-year-old wheelchair-bound man from a fire outbreak at Onitire Road, Smith Bus Stop, Itire, Lagos State.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, adding that both men were rescued alive from the incident at 43 Onitire Road.
According to the agency, the emergency call was received at approximately 9:10 p.m., while firefighters arrived at the scene at 9:35 p.m. and immediately commenced firefighting and rescue operations.
The fire affected an eight-room bungalow and spread to a three-bedroom flat on the upper floor of an adjoining two-storey residential building.
While the bungalow and its contents were severely damaged, the affected section of the adjoining building and its contents sustained minor damage.
The 42-year-old man, who suffered burn injuries while trying to rescue the elderly man, was transported to Gbagada General Hospital by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service for medical attention.
Firefighters from the Isolo, Sari and Bolade fire stations participated in the operation, with support from the Federal Fire Service, Ojuelegba.
Other emergency responders at the scene included the Lagos Response Unit, the Nigeria Police Force from Itire Division, the Lagos State Ambulance Service and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.
The agency said preliminary assessments suggested that negligence resulting in an electrical surge might have caused the fire, noting that the exact cause remained subject to further determination.
The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, urged residents to ensure that electrical installations were properly maintained and to avoid overloading electrical sockets.
She also advised residents to engage qualified electricians to inspect and repair faulty electrical systems.
The agency urged members of the public to switch off appliances when not in use and report fire emergencies through the toll-free numbers.
