Lagos warns residents as fire service records 1,324 cases

Lagos State recorded “1,324 emergency incidents between January and September 2026, including 1,135 fire calls,” as the state government urged “residents to strengthen fire-prevention measures during the dry season.”

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service disclosed this in its Third Quarter Activity Report covering January to September 2026, issued by its Senior Public Affairs Officer, Fadairo Maria.

According to the report on Thursday, the incidents included “79 rescue calls, 100 salvage operations, nine collapsed-building incidents and one gas-related explosion.”

The Controller-General of the service, Margaret Adeseye, said the figures underscored the need for sustained fire-safety awareness, prompt reporting of emergencies and compliance with fire-safety regulations across the state.

The report stated that “210 victims were rescued alive during the period”, while “65 suspected fatalities were recovered during emergency operations.”

It also revealed that the service recorded “341 false calls, warning that such calls could delay firefighters’ response to genuine emergencies.”

The service said false emergency calls could “delay the response of firefighters to genuine emergencies and potentially put lives, property and environment at risk.”

On property protection, the report put the estimated value of property saved during emergency operations at ₦79.44bn, while estimated property losses stood at ₦13.24bn.

The total estimated value of properties affected during the period was ₦92.68bn.

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January, March record highest incidents

A monthly breakdown of the report showed that “January recorded the highest number of incidents, with 203, followed by March with 201, while September recorded the lowest, with 94.

“For fire calls, March recorded the highest number at 176, followed by January with 173. September recorded the lowest number, with 80 fire calls.”

Adeseye urged residents to exercise caution and adopt basic fire-prevention practices as the dry season sets in.

The service advised “residents to avoid indiscriminate burning, ensure proper handling and storage of flammable materials, and switch off and unplug electrical appliances when not in use.”

It also urged residents to “avoid overloading electrical sockets, maintain functional fire extinguishers and ensure that escape routes and access points were not obstructed.”

The controller-general further encouraged residents to report fire incidents promptly and cooperate with emergency responders when they arrive at incident scenes.

Collective responsibility

The service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives, property and the environment through emergency response, fire prevention, public enlightenment, enforcement of fire-safety standards and continuous engagement with communities across Lagos State.

It urged residents to take collective responsibility for fire prevention, stating that “prevention remains the most effective way to reduce the devastating impact of fire emergencies.”