UPDATED:  Lagos links Mandilas building fire to ‘careless welding’

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has disclosed that careless welding during the installation of a power generating set on the second floor of the Mandilas building in Lagos led to a fire outbreak on Sunday.

Thw 10-storey building on Broad Street, Lagos Island Local Government Area of Lagos State caught earlier in the day.

The fire reportedly started from the first floor of the building and spread to the fourth floor.

The LSFRS Director, Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that emergency responders from the Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu Fire Stations moved to the scene to curb further escalation and put the situation under control.

In a follow-up update made available to PUNCH Online, Adeseye disclosed that the collaborative efforts of emergency responders led to the containing of the fire from engulfing the whole building.

She said, “The collaborative efforts by emergency responders successfully contained the recent fire at Mandilas Building. Firefighting operations now focus on dampening down the remaining pockets of fire fueled by stored merchandise.

“The affected floors (2nd to 7th) were managed by state responders, including Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Lagos Ambulance Service, and others.

“The fire originated from careless welding during the installation of a generator on the second floor, intended to expand trading space”

She said while six people sustained minor injuries, there was no loss of life in the incident.

“Despite challenges with stacked goods and limited accessibility, responders curtailed the damage. The building, housing various businesses, experienced no fatalities; six members of the public incurred minor injuries, and were promptly treated on-scene.

“Conclusion of dampening down will precede a comprehensive damage assessment,” Adeseye concluded.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a tweet on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Sunday, had called for calm stressing that the cause of the fire would be unravelled.

He wrote, “I would like to provide an update as relayed by our on-ground teams regarding the warehouse fire at Mandilas Building, Broad Street, Lagos Island.

“The fire originated on the 1st floor and got to the 4th. Currently, our brave teams from Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu Fire Stations are actively engaged in firefighting operations.

“The cause is yet to be determined, but investigations are underway. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.

“I’d like to urge everyone to remain calm as all of our first responders are working hard to bring the situation to a complete halt.

“I salute our incredible firefighting teams and other first responders, including security personnel. Your dedication is unmatched as you face this challenge head-on.”

PUNCH Metro reports that at least, four cows, three goats and an office building belonging to the National Council of Arts and Culture were lost to a late-night fire that gutted the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos State on December 30.

The Head, Public Education Unit of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Amodu Shakiru, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with PUNCH Metro.

The fire was said to have started following a gas explosion in one of the offices within the site of the incident which left four cows, three goats and an office complex destroyed.

Also, several shops and goods were destroyed following a gas explosion that occurred at a market at the Council bus stop in the Ikotun area of Lagos State on December 23.