Two fire incidents triggered by electrical surges occurred in Lagos on Easter Sunday, affecting properties in FESTAC Town and Ikeja GRA. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incidents, with spokesman Afolabi Olawale stating the first blaze broke out at a single-storey building in FESTAC Town Phase 2 after a conduit wire sparked on the ground floor. Quick action by the LASEMA Response Team and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service contained the fire, preventing it from spreading to the upper floor and nearby buildings. Although no lives were lost, household items valued at millions of naira were destroyed.
The second incident happened at Rev Ogunbiyi Estate in Ikeja GRA, where an electrical surge in an air conditioning unit sparked a fire on an upper floor of a duplex. Neighbours helped contain the blaze before emergency teams arrived. Afolabi Olawale said no injuries or fatalities occurred due to the swift response of residents and emergency personnel. He urged the public to use electrical appliances cautiously and report emergencies via the state's toll-free numbers, 112 or 767. LASEMA, alongside other agencies, completed operations at both sites after confirming the areas were secure.
A single power surge can wipe out millions of naira in household assets, as seen in FESTAC Town. Afolabi Olawale's advice to report early matters little if preventive maintenance isn't affordable for average Lagos residents. Electrical safety remains a luxury when infrastructure fails silently and often. For Nigerians, the real cost isn't just in lost items—it's in the persistent risk of living one surge away from disaster.
