Outrageous: See what fuel crisis caused man to do in Lagos (photos, video)
– A man who is notorious for hoarding fuel in Somolu, has set a house on fire
– The suspect reportedly made away with his own valuables while other tenants lost theirs to the flames
– Fire fighters alongside some residents were able to kill the fire, after it had caused serious damage
There was some palpable panic within the Shomolu area of Lagos state, where a man set a house on fire leaving its residents counting their losses while he ran away.
Residents at the scene of the accident.
According to a report by News Room, the man in question is a relative of the landlord, simply known as Kemi.
Kemi had gone to a filling station to buy petrol inside a generator tank. He was reportedly transferring the product into a keg when his phone ran and the petrol caught fire.
He reportedly sustained minor injuries which, according to eyewitnesses, didn’t stop him from escaping the scene. But before then, he allegedly cleared the valuables he kept inside a sports betting shop at the front of the house. He then drove off, according to residents, to an unknown destination.
READ ALSO: Tragedy: Overnight fire roasts 4 people in Lagos
“Gbese re o (this is a huge debt, loss),” Kemi was reportedly saying as he “escaped” from the scene. But some residents said he was actually taken to hospital. Others insisted he “escaped”.
Some of the “valuables” Kemi allegedly cleared from his shop were several 50-litre kegs of petrol.
“He runs a chain of businesses and is always in need of fuel,” a resident told reporters.
“Sometimes he goes as far as Lagos Island to buy petrol in large volumes and stores them here at the house.”
A resident of the house who spoke with us said tenants who complained of the dangers of storing petrol that way were threatened with eviction.
“The landlord doesn’t live here so nobody cares,” a tenant lamented.
“Kemi is related to the landlord. If you complain about him storing petrol in large volumes here all you get are threats and threats…they’ll threaten to throw you out.
“If this had happened on a weekend or at night, lives would have been lost. And all for what? Because one man had to run his business?”
The house is located at 17, Egberonbe Street, Lady-Lak bus stop in Bariga-Shomolu.
READ ALSO: Chaos in Lagos: Gunmen attack commercial bus, one passenger killed (photo)
After the fire got bigger, residents – who are currently suffering from water scarcity – were seen throwing sachets of “pure” water into the inferno. Residents were also seen scooping water from nearby gutters to fight the inferno.
But that didn’t seem to help until the fire service showed up.
The fire fighters joined forces with residents to stop the flames from spreading into a neighbouring house where kerosene is being stored and sold in huge quantities.
Occupants of that endangered building were seen packing valuables and taking them elsewhere. The valuables were returned after the fire was contained.
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the accident in a statement to NewsroomNG.
LASEMA spokesperson Kehinde Adeboayo said “the agency received a distress call at about 9:45am on 19/04/16 (Tuesday)”.
“Upon receipt of the distress call, the agency activated her response team and also coordinate rescue/recovery operations with relevant stakeholders at the incident scene,” the statement said.
Our reporter who was at the scene counted at least two people who government officials treated for minor injuries. They sustained injuries while helping fire fighters at the scene.
At least three fire trucks were spotted at the scene. There was also a police patrol vehicle with at least six police officers at the venue.
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LASEMA added: “Four rooms in the first floor, three rooms in the BQ and a mini-flat were affected in the inferno. No live lost. One victim who sustained minor injuries and has been taking to the Hospital for further treatment.
The combined force of fire services and LASEMA were able to curtail the fire from spreading to others building, 4 rooms were salvaged on the ground floor.”
Mr Michael Akindele, the General Manager LASEMA advised the public to desist from storage of combustible materials such as petroleum products.
There was an emergency note which read: “If anyone in your house stores petrol…it’s an EMERGENCY already! Call the police on that person now. Call these numbers”
In a related but more tragic development, about 10 passengers were burnt to death in a ghastly motor accident in Badagry area of Lagos on Monday, April 18.
Two vehicles, a commercial bus conveying passengers and another vehicle were said to have collided as the commercial bus burst into flame and consume its occupants. The tragedy took place around 11.00 pm last night.
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