65 people die in Lagos fire and rescue operations

Between January and September 2026, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service recorded 65 deaths in fire and other emergency operations.

Maria Fadairo, the Senior Public Affairs Officer of the service, shared this on Thursday. She highlighted the agency's Third Quarter Activity Report in her statement.

The report shows that the service responded to a total of 1,324 incidents across Lagos during these nine months.

Fire emergencies made up most of the incidents, with 1,135 calls. Other incidents included 100 salvage operations, 79 rescue calls, nine collapsed buildings, and one gas-related explosion.

Fadairo said, "During the period under review, 210 victims were rescued alive, while 65 suspected fatalities were recovered in the course of emergency operations."

She added that there were 341 false emergency calls in that time, warning that such calls could slow down response to real emergencies.

The report states that property worth about N79.44 billion was saved while losses reached N13.24 billion. This brings the total value of affected property to N92.68 billion.

January saw the highest number of incidents with 203, followed by March with 201. September recorded the least with 94 incidents.

March also had the highest fire calls at 176, January followed with 173, and September recorded the lowest with 80 fire calls.

Fadairo emphasized the need for residents, businesses, and institutions to improve fire-safety measures, especially with the dry season approaching.

She quoted the Controller-General, Margaret Adeseye, urging residents to stay safety-conscious and follow basic fire-prevention tips.

Adeseye advised residents to avoid reckless burning, handle flammable materials properly, and unplug electrical appliances when not in use. She also advised against overloading electrical sockets.

She urged everyone to keep fire extinguishers in good condition, maintain clear escape routes, and report fire incidents quickly.

Adeseye appealed to residents to support emergency responders when they arrive at an incident scene.

"The Service therefore calls on all residents to make fire safety a shared responsibility, stressing that prevention remains the most effective way to reduce the devastating impact of fire emergencies," the statement said.