The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has revealed that it recently received no less than 17 fire outbreak calls from residents of the town.
Calling this alarming, in a statement issued Monday, the agency warned the general public, particularly motorists, to desist from indiscriminately storing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as gasoline, in inappropriate places.
Fuel queues have been resurfacing in the state since last week, and for now, the product is being sold in jerrycans along the highway. This has also caused some consumers to embark on panic buying, with products being stored in residential areas.
But the head of the Lagos State Fire Service, Ms Margaret Adeseye, has warned the public to be cautious, noting that the state has so far logged 129 emergency calls about fire outbreaks in November, with 17 calls received in a day recently.
He pointed out that since the beginning of the recent fuel shortage, some people have devised illegal means to store the product in inappropriate places, such as in vehicles, under the stairs of their houses or inside the premises of their workplaces, and stressed that all these have contributed to the increase in the number of sources of fires.
Ms. Adeseye reiterated that the state government attaches great importance to the safety of citizens’ lives and property; therefore, the indifferent attitude of the general public towards the basic principle of security is a matter of great concern for the present administration, since the total number of emergency calls in November is already much higher than the 82 registered in October 2022. .
“The high number of 129 sources of fire in less than a month is worrying. However, we are extending our safety information campaigns to all areas of local government, hospitals, schools, and grassroots organizations, all in an effort to stem the wave of fire incidents and related emergencies,” he stated.
According to her, the fuel shortage is not an excuse for improper storage of fuel to the detriment of the lives and property of residents, imploring the public to avoid using drums that have been used for gasoline to store kerosene and any other fuel. flammable. liquids. She also advised motorists, particularly commercial vehicle operators, not to store gasoline in the trunks of their cars and buses.
The firefighter urged homeowners and renters to be vigilant and avoid improper fuel storage in and around their homes, while urging service station operators to stop the practice of dispensing fuel in polythene bags and allow that customers group around gasoline pumps to avoid fights that could lead to fires.
Ms Adeseye therefore urged residents to call the toll-free emergency numbers 767 or 112 or the Lagos Fire Service hotline: 08033235891 to report a fire outbreak and get a quick response.