Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has called for urgent solutions to the recurring menace of tanker fire accidents, describing them as a significant challenge to the state.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Tuesday at the Lagos State International Fire Safety Conference 2.0 in Victoria Island, with the theme, “Leveraging Technology and Community Engagement to Prevent Fire.”
The governor disclosed that Lagos lost property worth N19.52 billion to fire incidents in 2024.
The conference, organised by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS), served as a platform for stakeholders to explore strategies for fire prevention and improved emergency response.
The governor said the state was adopting innovations such as the “Safety on the Move” initiative to address frequent tanker fires, while intensifying public sensitisation through market, school, factory, and residential visits.
“Our goal is to ensure every Lagos resident knows how to spot potential fire hazards, prevent fires, stay safe, and help others,” he said, urging the public to be alert to early signs of fire risks.
Sanwo-Olu commended LSFRS for responding to over 2,500 distress calls in 2023 and urged stakeholders to strengthen the Incident Command System, improve emergency response, and explore modern firefighting technologies.
He further advised prioritising fire detection, protection, and suppression systems alongside conventional equipment to control outbreaks at the earliest stage.
Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Olugbenga Oyerinde, reiterated the state government’s commitment to leveraging technology and community engagement to curb fire disasters.
“There is a need to rejig our strategies because of the frequent recurrence of fire incidents. We remain unwavering in our commitment to achieving zero fire incidents,” he said.
“Protecting our communities from fire outbreaks is a collective responsibility that we are all dedicated to.”
Earlier, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, the Director, LSFRS, recounting the statistics of the number of fire incidents in the state, said property worth N117.12 billion were saved by the agency from fire in 2024.
She disclosed that the estimated property lost was N19.52 billion.
Adeseye said victims rescued alive were 450, while 91 were rescued dead.
“The agency issued 7,039 compliance certificates and visited 7,870 commercial companies to ascertain their compliance level with fire safety code.
“However, 831 did not comply with fire safety code.
“In 2023, 2,573 fire incidents were recorded but in the year 2024, we had a sharp drop of 1,952,” she said.
According to Adeseye, fire safety is not just about equipment but about the people.
“We fight not to fight the fire but life and future. Fire safety is not securing equipment but about the people.”
