LASG Launches Campaign to Promotes Fire Safety Awareness

The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the Lagos Safety Commission and Fire and Rescue Service, has launched a public enlightenment campaign on fire prevention in marketplaces across the state.

Eko Hot Blog reports that this initiative aims to raise awareness among traders and residents about the importance of fire safety during the harmattan season and as year-end festivities approach.

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Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, emphasized the need for traders in markets such as Jankara Market on Lagos Island to remain vigilant and adopt safety measures to prevent fire disasters.

While acknowledging that most markets in Lagos State are adhering to the government’s safety directives, Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, emphasized the importance of continuing the public enlightenment campaign to further minimize fire incidents in marketplaces.

“Today’s enlightenment campaign is about fire safety, and you are all aware that the harmattan season has come, and harmattan comes with extra risks when it comes to fire. It is very dry, and there is a higher chance that we will have a fire.

“So the message is that they should be careful when carrying out their activities. Carelessness is a big issue because carelessness and human errors are the main causes of fire incidents”, he said.

He added that the campaign teams are engaging traders in conversations about the significance of maintaining safety and complying with established safety rules.

Additionally, the teams are urging traders to eliminate hazardous activities that could potentially ignite fires in marketplaces, including smoking, the use of cooking stoves, and the sale of petrol within market premises.

According to him “We identified that there are people that are still selling petroleum products in the markets and we are using this public enlightenment to work with the market leaders to ensure we remove these inflammable items.

Beyond that, we are also reaching out directly to the fire safety marshalls to take them through how to put out the fire, should the fire occur as well as train them with the use of fire extinguishers and the need to have fire detectors in their shops if a fire happens, they put it out before it becomes a big incident”.

On her part, the Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye said the enlightenment campaign is about educating the general public, particularly the traders in the markets, to understand the market fire safety tips.

Adeseye highlighted the critical nature of the public enlightenment campaign by referencing the high number of fire incidents that have occurred in marketplaces across the state in recent years.

Adeseye noted that an alarming 75% of these fire outbreaks were attributable to carelessness, underscoring the urgent need for increased awareness and preventive measures.

She said, “What happened in April this year where over 20 houses were burnt was as a result of carelessness, and from April till now, the fire incidents in markets are at 0.1 per cent compared to what we used to have, so there is a level of compliance, but the government wants 100 per cent compliance.

We want a safe Lagos and a State free of fire incidents, and that is why we are out here to remind them that sleeping in the markets is not allowed, the use of camp gas for cooking, and overloading electric sockets should be discouraged while markets must ensure they discuss fire safety awareness during market meetings”.

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