Lagos Warns Residents as Fire Service Records 1,324 Emergencies

The Lagos State Government has urged residents to observe fire-safety precautions as the dry season sets in, following the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service’s record of 1,324 emergency incidents in the first nine months of 2026.

The agency’s Third Quarter Activity Report, covering January to September, showed that fire outbreaks accounted for 1,135 incidents. Other emergencies included 79 rescue calls, 100 salvage operations, nine building collapses and one gas-related explosion.

The Senior Public Affairs Officer of the service, Mrs Maria Fadairo, disclosed the figures in a statement issued on Thursday, noting that the statistics highlighted the need for greater public awareness and strict compliance with fire-safety regulations.

According to the report, emergency responders rescued 210 people alive during the period, while 65 suspected fatalities were recovered from incident scenes.

The service also recorded 341 false emergency calls, warning that such calls could delay firefighters from reaching genuine emergencies and place lives and property at risk.

On property protection, the report estimated the value of property saved during emergency operations at N79.44 billion, while losses were put at N13.24 billion. The total value of properties affected was estimated at N92.68 billion.

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

March also had the highest number of fire calls, with 176, followed by January with 173. September recorded the fewest fire calls, at 80.

The Controller-General of the service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, urged residents to avoid indiscriminate burning and exercise caution when handling or storing flammable materials.

She also advised households to switch off and unplug electrical appliances when not in use, avoid overloading electrical sockets, maintain functional fire extinguishers and keep escape routes and access points clear.

Adeseye encouraged residents to report emergencies promptly and cooperate with firefighters and other emergency responders at incident scenes.

The service reaffirmed its commitment to emergency response, public enlightenment and enforcement of fire-safety standards across Lagos State, urging residents, businesses and institutions to make prevention a shared responsibility.

It stressed that early reporting, proper safety practices and public cooperation remained essential to reducing fire-related deaths, injuries and property losses.