Eight-month-old baby and two others die in Lagos fire

No fewer than three people have lost their lives in separate fire incidents in the FESTAC Town, Badagry and Surulere areas of Lagos State.

While an eight-month-old baby was killed in FESTAC Town, a 90-year-old woman was burnt to death in Badagry, while an 83-year-old man died in the Surulere incident.

Our correspondents gathered that the fire that killed the baby, identified as Jessica Ifeanyichukwu, started at about 9pm on Sunday.

Her mother, Ndubuisi Ifeanyichukwu, was trying to put on the family generator downstairs when the incident happened at the family’s three-bedroomed apartment on Hakeem Agboola Crescent.

It was gathered that although the fire was not caused by the generator, it happened while Ndubuisi struggled to put on the generator.

The fire reportedly started from the Ifeanyichukwus’ apartment.

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Tuesday, the landlady, who gave her name only as Bassey, said the cause of the fire still remained a mystery to her.

She said, “The woman came out around 8.30pm from her apartment to start the generator. She and her husband stayed upstairs and she carried the generator downstairs. She tried to start the generator three times, but it did not work.

“She went back to her apartment. Later, she came down to switch on the bigger generator. When she returned to the room, the entire apartment was already in flames.

“The couple has left since the incident happened. Nobody knows the cause of the fire. The police have not found out anything. The fire also affected a section of my apartment.  What made the situation worse was that the woman’s husband was not at home.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident.

She said, “The fire was put out by a team of policemen and the state firefighters. The baby was consumed by the fire, while the injured mother is receiving treatment in a hospital. The cause of the fire and the value of the property destroyed have yet to be known.”

In Surulere, an 80-year-old man, identified as Godwin Oyia, lost his life on Aborishade Close, after fire engulfed his residence.

Property estimated at millions of naira was reportedly lost to the inferno which started around 10am on Tuesday.