No fewer than 10 persons have sustained varying degree of injury as fire guts Fine Coat Paint factory located at Casso along Abeokuta expressway in Lagos.
The explosion from the chemical mixture which got mixed up with other inflammable substance was believed to hav caused the outbreak.
The operatives of the state fire service, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Rapid Respond Squad, RSS, staff members and some concerned passers-by all battled to douse the raging inferno.
The injured victims were immediately rushed to a nearby General Hospital for medical care.
One of the employees who gave his name simply as Jide, said three sections of the company were razed down before firefighters could douse the inferno at about 7am on Thursday, March 12, 2015.
He said, “It was a huge disaster, but we thank God no life was lost. I cannot specifically state the amount of the losses, but machines, chemicals and three buildings, all worth millions of naira were destroyed. Most of us (workers) were here throughout the night.”
A full-time worker, Opebiyi, said he was trapped in the course of putting out the fire.
He said, “I did not know when I got here. The fume choked me and that was what I remember till I regained consciousness by midnight. The tank was not far from the production point where chemicals are. That was why the fire was much. The doctor said we will soon be discharged.”
Confirming the incident, the General Manager of LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke Osanyintolu, maintained that the cause of the outbreak was yet unknown.
He said, “We cannot tell you precisely the cause of the fire, our investigation is still ongoing but from the primary survey, we were informed that the fire was due to the chemical explosion.
“So far, all the emergency responders are on the ground. So far, we have taken five casualties to Orile General Hospital. All the stakeholders that are relevant in managing emergency are still combating it.”
“Our emergency respond team are effective and efficient that is why we were able to rescue the victim despite the extent of destruction caused by the fire. The victims sustained various degrees of injuries but one of them suffered severe burns. He inhaled a lot carbon monoxide. So far, nobody died and the operation is still on going.”
