A two-storey building accommodating The Apostolic Church has been gutted by fire with properties worth millions of Naira destroyed.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at the building situated at No. 33 Oremeta Street in Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State.
This was further confirmed in a situation report issued by the Lagos Command and Control Centre.
According to the statement released by command’s boss, CS Akintunde Oladipupo, a distress notification was received by the command around 3:00pm, prompting swift deployment of officers to the scene.
Oladipupo disclosed that the fire was still active as at the time the officers arrived to contain the inferno.
“Upon receipt of the distress information, officers attached to Berger Roundabout beat alongside CS Akintunde Oladipupo and the command Operation officer SNCS Ademikan Abiola promptly left for the scene of the fire outbreak.
“On arrival, it was observed that the fire was still active within the premises and had affected sections of the building.
“Officers of the Lagos State Fire Service were already on ground carrying out firefighting operations aimed at containing the inferno and preventing further spread to adjoining structures and properties.” The statement partly read.
While the actual cause of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained immediatlely, the Team Leader of the Lagos State Fire Service, Officer Hussani S.O, stated that preliminary suspicion points to a possible electrical surge.
This would however be refuted by the Resident Pastor of the church, Mr. Adeniyi Philips and a shop owner whose properties were destroyed in the inferno.
“Contrary to this assertion, the shop owner and the Resident Pastor, Mr. Adeniyi Philips, maintained that there was no public electricity supply at the time the fire was first observed.
“Meanwhile, appropriate authorities have commenced preliminary investigation following the successful containment and extinguishment of the inferno.” Oladipupo wrote.
Though no lives were loss in the incident, properties of Zinsutech Sewing Machine which used the topmost floor of the building as their store were however destroyed.
The fire was eventually extinguished at about 4:30pm with calm restored in the residence.