Lagos probes House of David church fire

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency has disclosed that the Lagos State Government will begin an investigation to unravel the cause of the recent fire outbreak at the House of David Church in the Ikeja Local Government Area of the State.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Thursday by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Ololade Agboola.

Earlier, PUNCH reported that the Household of David church in the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State reportedly caught fire on Wednesday.

Agboola quoted the state Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, as saying that a committee comprising members from the church will conduct a thorough investigation into the regrettable situation, with oversight from the State Fire and Rescue Service.

He noted the fire crews in Alausa and Ikeja encountered some difficulties because of the church’s flammable components, which caused the fire to spread quickly and fiercely.

The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye gave the church assurances about the agency’s dedication to finding the source and putting preventative measures in place all around the state.

The statement partly read, “In response to the recent fire incident at the Household of David Church, a delegation from the Lagos State Government, led by Hon. Gbenga Oyerinde, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, accompanied by Margaret Adeseye, Director of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, visited the scene at 7 Surulere Industrial Road, off Adeniyi Jones, Ogba-Ikeja, today.

“The primary objective of the visit was to assess the extent of damage and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the Fire. The Commissioner representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, conveyed empathy to the Assistant Pastor Damola Adesina, who graciously received the government team.

“Oyerinde assured that a comprehensive inquiry into the unfortunate incident would be conducted by a committee of stakeholders, including church representatives, under the guidance of the State Fire and Rescue Service. This collaborative effort aims to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

The statement added that “Adeseye highlighted challenges faced by Alausa and Ikeja Fire Crews due to combustible materials within the church, resulting in a rapid and intense spread of the fire. She reassured the church of the agency’s commitment to identifying the root cause and implementing preventive measures across the state.”