The Lagos State Government has called on market leaders to urgently place a ban on smoking in all market places, especially around sawmills and plank markets in the state.

This is with a view to controlling the frequency of fire outbreaks in markets in the metropolis.

Recall that the State Fire and Rescue Service recently disclosed that fire consumed properties worth over N17.49 billion between January and November 2024.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitization coordination and community response on disaster programme put together by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in Lagos, on Tuesday, the Chief Fire Officer, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Olukotun Odunayo, revealed that 1749 fire calls were recorded between January and November 2024.

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Odunayo attributed most of the market fire that occured in Lagos to lack of knowledge of what disaster management is all about.

He revealed that managing disasters such as fire starts with knowing what to do and how to organise those around to fight the fire before it spreads.

He explained that fire that can cause colossal damage to property starts from small source before spreading to other areas.

He revealed that interactions with victims at incident scenes revealed that plank market fire mostly started from cigarette smoking or sparks from a faulty electricity connection.

“A big fire can start from ashes from a discarded cigarette or sparks from faulty electricity connection when there is a sudden surge in power supply. This often occurs at night. And when it happens victims result to prayers rather than action because they lack knowledge of what to do.

“I want to encourage market leaders to embark on an intensive sensitization campaign for traders in different markets. Traders should know what they need to do in case of emergency.

“Leaders should also ban smoking at market places, especially sawmills and plank markets,” he added.

Odunayo explained that the state recorded a total of 1749 fire calls in the last 11 months, adding that most of them were avoidable incidents.

Also speaking, Engr. Jamiu Badmus, Executive Director, Safety Advocate, called for increased sensitization campaign in communities.

Badmus also wondered why gas stores and filling stations were allowed to be sited within residential areas.

He urged relevant government agencies to discourage setting up of gas stations or shops in highly residential concentrated areas for safety reasons.

According to him, most residents are not aware of what to do in the event of fire, adding that most victims result to prayers rather than action.

“This is because they have little or no knowledge of what to do when confronted by such situation,” he said.

In her address to flag off the campaign, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, recalled that aside losing properties worth N17.49 billion, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) had also stated that, property worth N104.9 billion were also saved within the period.

This, she said, is according to data obtained from both the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

The NEMA boss further recalled that road traffic accidents ranked highest with a record of 46 vehicular incidents and 32 truck/tanker incidents recorded in the state in the same period.

She stated that the meeting provided opportunities to share perspectives, ideas and experiences on fire disaster management, which according to her has become a pressing issue, particularly in Lagos State given its rapid urbanization and population growth.

“Fire disaster management is a viral aspect of overall disaster management and as such we must address it with urgency and clarity,” she added.