By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Amid panic among residents, emergency responders on Saturday contained a fire that gutted the Purple Crown Hotel on Balogun Street, along Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos.
No casualty was recorded in the incident, according to emergency management agencies.
An eyewitness said the fire broke out at about 9:30 a.m. from a room on the first floor of the hotel.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency received a distress call at 9:52 a.m.
Oke-Osanyintolu said LASEMA’s Tiger Squad, in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Nigeria Police, arrived at the scene within 10 minutes of receiving the report.
According to him, “Upon arrival, responders discovered that a room on the first floor of the hotel had been severely affected by fire.
“The emergency team subsequently contained the fire at Purple Crown Hotel, Balogun Street, along Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos, with no casualties recorded.”
He said preliminary investigations suggested that the fire might have been caused by an electrical fault in the affected room.
He added that the incident caused significant fire and smoke damage to part of the building.
“All hotel guests and staff were safely evacuated from the building to the designated muster point.
“There was no loss of life and no injury recorded,” he said.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the affected section of the hotel had been cordoned off pending a detailed structural and electrical integrity assessment by the relevant authorities.
“The situation is now fully under control. The fire has been extinguished and the immediate danger neutralised.
“Normal operations will only resume upon clearance from safety officials,” he said.
The LASEMA boss said a roll call was conducted under the supervision of the response team and police officers to account for all occupants and confirm their safety.
He said the joint operation focused on containing the fire, preventing its spread to adjoining rooms and ensuring the safety of occupants and responders.
Oke-Osanyintolu noted that access to the building had been restricted as a precaution because of the volume of smoke and extent of the fire damage.
He commended the emergency responders for their speed, professionalism and inter-agency collaboration, saying their swift intervention prevented further escalation and protected lives and property.
He urged hotel operators, facility managers and business owners to prioritise regular electrical maintenance, install and service fire suppression equipment and train staff on emergency evacuation procedures.
“Compliance with the Lagos State Safety Commission guidelines remains non-negotiable,” he said.
He also urged members of the public to remain calm and report emergencies promptly through the Lagos State emergency toll-free lines: 112, 767 or 08000 112 112.
The Controller, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, also confirmed that no life was lost in the incident, noting that the prompt response by emergency responders prevented the fire from causing more extensive damage.
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