Overnight fire kills family of four in Lagos

An overnight fire has killed a family of four in Lagos. Simply identified as the Ezes , they were living at No. 13, Buraimoh Street, Bariga area of Lagos.

The Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident yesterday.Fadipe said the incident occurred around 2.48 a.m.

He said personnel of the service got to the scene of the incident as soon as they got information about the fire, but that due to the double burglary irons on the door and window of the apartment, they were unable to reach the victims in time.“The apartment is a chemist store. The father, mother, and two children of ages five and eight were found dead inside the store.

The Guardian learnt that the family had been living in the shop for some years.“ We advise that although one needs security in his or her house or business place, it should not be to the detriment of the people.

“Members of the family should always know the exit of their apartment whenever there is an emergency,” the director said.Some sources said the deceased woman was pregnant mother of the two children, and that the fire started after electricity supply was restored to the area.Others believed that the fire could have been caused by candle light.

The Guardian also learnt that the bodies of the victims had been taken to their hometown in Umueze Ala Ogboko, in the Idato South Local Council of Imo State by their relatives in Lagos but they were planning to move into their house in December 24, 2017.

The Eze’s family were said to be kinsmen of the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha as they hailed from the same village.Burnt clothes, drugs, fans and a pot of vegetable stew, were seen by our correspondent in the shop during a visit to the area, as smoke still billowed from the dying flames.

Residents and family members of the victims had also besieged the scene. Many sympathisers and passersby fought to catch a glimpse of the burnt shop. and charred bodies. Two other shops were affected by the inferno before the intervention of the firefighters.

A screen printer, whose shop was opposite the victims, said that a power surge triggered the inferno couple with the candlelight.I sleep in my shop as well because of the nature of my work. Power was restored around 2:00a.m. and that was when the fire started.

There was a sudden explosion in their shop. It was difficult to get close to the place, because the whole burglarproof gates were on fire. The heat was intense.

“Later, the firefighters brought out their bodies. It was the body of the woman that was brought out, before that of the two children. They initially couldn’t find the pastor. After some search, they found his body in the innermost part of the shop, where he was probably attempting to find a way out. All the bodies were burnt beyond recognition,” the printer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.”