The director general, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, Sunday said 1,749 fire incidents were recorded in the state in the last one year.
She said this at a press briefing jointly addressed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter Governmental Relations, Mr.Gbenga Oyerinde, his counterpart in the ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, and the heads of the state safety commissions at the premises of the state fire brigade, in Alausa, Ikeja.
Speaking on how to maintain safety in the state, Mrs Adeseye said 75 percent of the fire incidents recorded in the state were due to carelessness, just as she urged members of the public to always volunteer information to reduce incidents of fire outbreaks. She frowned at crowd gathering at scene of fire incidents, which she says always prevents the fire officers from discharging their duty.
“When out to safe life allow firemen to work, crowd should be discouraged, give fire officers useful information,” she said.
Mrs Adeseye also warned members of the public to take cognisance of what can lead to fire outbreak, especially during this harmattan period.
“Take cognisance of what can lead to fire outbreak during harmattan and fireworks should also be discouraged, fireworks can lead to fire outbreak and there is need to discourage cooking inside markets.”
She added that the state has 22 fire stations, and members of the public should be free to call the toll free line of the fire service for assistance whenever there is fire outbreak.