65 die in 1,324 Lagos fire, rescue emergencies
No fewer than 65 fatalities were recorded in fire and other emergency operations carried out by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service between January and September 2026.
The Senior Public Affairs Officer of the service, Maria Fadairo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, highlighting the agency’s Third Quarter Activity Report.
According to the report, the service responded to 1,324 incidents across the state during the nine months.
Fire emergencies accounted for the bulk of the incidents, with 1,135 calls recorded, followed by 100 salvage operations, 79 rescue calls, nine collapsed-building incidents and one gas-related explosion.
She said, “During the period under review, 210 victims were rescued alive, while 65 suspected fatalities were recovered in the course of emergency operations.”
She added that the service recorded 341 false emergency calls during the period, warning that such calls could delay firefighters from responding to genuine emergencies.
The report showed that property worth an estimated N79.44bn was saved during the period, while losses were put at N13.24bn, bringing the total value of property affected to N92.68bn.
January recorded the highest number of incidents with 203, followed by March with 201, while September had the lowest with 94 incidents.
March also recorded the highest number of fire calls at 176, followed by January with 173, while September recorded the lowest with 80 fire calls.
She said the figures underscored the need for residents, businesses and institutions to strengthen fire-safety measures, particularly with the onset of the dry season.
She quoted the Controller-General, Margaret Adeseye, as urging residents to remain safety-conscious and adopt basic fire-prevention measures.
She advised residents to avoid indiscriminate burning, properly handle and store flammable materials, switch off and unplug electrical appliances when not in use, and avoid overloading electrical sockets.
also urged residents to maintain functional fire extinguishers, keep escape routes and access points clear, and report fire incidents promptly.
She appealed to residents to cooperate with emergency responders whenever they arrive at an incident scene.
“The Service therefore calls on all residents to make fire safety a shared responsibility, stressing that prevention remains the most effective way to reduce the devastating impact of fire emergencies,” the statement concluded.
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