Emeka
Ibemere
It sounded like a bomb explosion, and within
few seconds of the bang, the whole community of Ilasamaja in Isolo-Oshodi Local
Council Development Area, LCDA, went into flame, and by the time the fire
finished razing down the community, a teenager, simply identified as Lekan gave
up the ghost after receiving shock from the inferno.
The mid-night fire tragedy occurred on
Saturday, July 18, 2015, during the Muslim Eid- El Fitri celebrations and
unsettled the entire residents of Ilasamaja community.
The fire threw the entire community into pandemonium
as every parent was groping in the dark to rescue their family members.
It was on the verge of trying to wake the late
Lekan whose house was few houses away from No 9, house that was engulfed by the
fire that the deceased died, when he
slumped as he was waken up to run away from the house when the fire was ranging
within the vicinity.
However, residents of the street alleged that
Lekan was killed by electrocution followed the electric cables that fall on the
ground which was cut off from a pole in front of the building when the deceased stepped on the naked wire
while the transformers sparked as there was power supply during the tragedy.
Five houses, including one at house number No.9
Temitope Street in Ilasamaja, Lagos were razed down, three vehicles, one tricycle
and other electrical appliances were also burnt beyond repairs.
The fire also damaged two next-door houses
before burning two other vehicles. It was gathered that about four other
persons were injured and are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in
the area. It took the residents much effort to put the fire off because it
happened in the midnight during which there was no help from any source. The Lagos State Fire Service, who tried to
respond to the residents’ distress calls wasn’t quick in coming to the rescue
of the community and landed into the scene of the inferno very late after the
fire has done its damage.
By the time the smoke fizzled away, the
victims’ property had ravaged by fire including the foodstuffs, personal
belongings, household items and their children’s school and family documents.
Musbau Muritala, the house owner of the gutted
bungalow, said he is helpless and hopeless, and it seemed to him that the world
has collapsed on his head.
Explaining
to journalists on inspection tour of the Lagos State House of Assembly member,
representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 11, Honourable Emeka Jude Idimogu,
Muritala said an LT bus, believed to be conveying some chemical substances and
accompanied by two other buses, which later escaped immediately the fire
started through the explosion of the items the LT was conveying caused the
inferno that burnt his residence.
“Around
11pm, we saw two Danfo buses carrying chemical. The first bus tried to climb
the culvert and what we saw was an explosion, I ran to evacuate my family. Some
people said the vehicle was being pursued by the police but we did not see any
police,” He said.
He said the driver of the LT bus was seen struggling
to climb the bad spot but got hooked on the pavement, however, another bus was
said to be pushing it from behind to let it off the pavement before an
explosion bang blew like bomb resulting to ball of fire.
Meanwhile some residents alleged that police
from Ilasamaja station was chasing the LT bus when it ran into the ditch
resulting into explosion that sparked off fire and that immediately the
explosion, police took to their heels. Muritala stated that the police from the
Ilasamaja station had already visited the scene but did nothing.
His weeping sister, Alhaja Ganiat Murtala, who
cried profusely, said the entire family is now homeless and have nothing left
for them. Musbau and his sister appealed to the state government and all
public-spirited individuals to assist their family.
Narrating her ordeal, Alhaja Ganiyat Murtala
said although no life was lost in his brother’s house, but his brother and his
tenants now live like refugees.
“We did not remove a pin from our rooms as
the fire raged. We lost our money, clothes everything to fire. We do not have
clothes, no food and we now beg neighbours for livelihood. We are begging
Governor Ambode to assist us”, she lamented. Musbau puts the rough estimate of
his razed house at N50million which isn’t part of the properties destroyed.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
member representing Oshodi/Isolo constituency 11, in the Lagos House of Assembly,
Jude Idimogu, said he was told of the incident by an Igbo community leader in
the area, Charles Ihuoma, who accompanied him to scene of the incident to
access the extent of damage and commiserate with the victims.
Idimogu, who visited the scene on Monday 20 July,
promised the victims some immediate assistance, while assuring that he would
bring the incident to the attention of the state government and the lawmakers
as they resume from the Eid- El Fitri break.
He lamented the deplorable conditions of the
roads in the LCDA, which he learnt hindered the fire-fighters from getting to
the venue early enough. He appealed to the public to help the victims return to
normal life. He described the incident as unfortunate and tragic.
“I have visited the affected residents to see
things by myself and to sympathize with them. Aside the house that was totally
burnt down, other houses was affected. I will take the issue to the Assembly
and discuss with my colleagues in the house. This is a kind of natural disaster,”
he stated.
“I will also intimate my Governor about the
issue and I am very optimistic that he will come to their aid. But I have
personally given the victims a token to enable them buy clothes and feed for
the main time pending when Governor Ambode will intervene.”
Idimogu also gave an undisclosed cheque to
parents of the deceased Lekan and urge them to bear the loss with fortitude.
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