Fire Outbreak at Polaris Bank Building in Lagos Controlled by Firefighters

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service put out a fire at the Polaris Bank Building on Broad Street, Lagos Island. This action stopped what could have been a serious situation in the busy area.

The fire broke out on the third floor of the 17-storey building, which also has a parking area.

Margaret Adeseye, the state Fire Service Controller General, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday.

She said the fire was reported at around 11:33 a.m. It involved a stationary saloon car parked on the third floor of the building.

Firefighters from the Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu fire stations quickly rushed to the scene to control the fire.

Adeseye mentioned that quick action by the emergency team prevented the fire from spreading to other vehicles and parts of the high-rise building.

“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has successfully put out a fire that happened on the 3rd floor of the Polaris Bank Building, located at 61/65 Broad Street, Lagos Island.

“The incident was reported at about 11:33 hours and involved a stationary saloon car parked on the 3rd floor of the 17-storey building, which serves as a parking space,” she said.

The fire service chief noted that only the car and its nearby area were damaged during the incident.

She confirmed that no one was hurt during the firefighting efforts.

Adeseye added, “The only damage recorded was to the affected vehicle and its immediate surroundings. No casualties or injuries were reported.

“The firefighting operation has been successfully concluded, and normalcy has been fully restored to the area.”

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service reassured residents that they are always ready to respond quickly to emergencies across the state.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the management of Polaris Bank said reports claiming that 34 people died in the incident were false.

The bank clarified that there were no casualties, adding that they have started investigating the cause of the fire.

“A fire incident occurred today at the car park of our Broad Street Branch, Lagos, originating from a customer’s vehicle parked on the 3rd-floor car park.

“The fire was quickly controlled after we activated our emergency response procedures and firefighters arrived promptly. We confirm that there were no casualties or fatalities.

“Reports claiming that over 34 persons were feared dead are false and misleading. Investigations into the incident are ongoing,” the statement said.

The bank also thanked emergency responders, staff, customers, and stakeholders for their quick response and support.

This incident comes after previous fire disasters on Lagos Island.

PUNCH Metro reported in January that the death toll from a fire at the Great Nigeria Building in the Balogun Market area of Lagos Island rose to 10 after bodies were recovered from the site.

The fire, which happened on December 24, started on the fourth floor and spread to the sixth floor of the 25-storey building before affecting the remaining floors and nearby structures.

**A section of the plaza, about seven floors high, collapsed during the fire, trapping traders and market workers.