The Lagos State Fire Service says it has recorded no fewer than 119 fire incidents across the state from the beginning of January 2019 till date.

Mr Rasaki Musibau, the Acting Director, State Fire Service, made this known while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Alausa, Ikeja.

Musibau attributed the incessant fire outbreaks in the state to high level of unconsciousness in the handling of fires and other inflammable materials.

He said that valuables worth millions of naira and preventable lives were being lost daily to avoidable fire outbreaks.

Musibau said that the directorate received about 19 fire emergency calls weekly (11 rescue calls and eight false calls were received accordingly.)

According to him, the high rate of fire incidents calls for concern as a responsible and responsive government that places safety of its citizenry at premium.

“Fire outbreaks in the state have become a perennial problem, with many reported cases which pose serious threat to national economy. It further leaves enormous material damages, injury to persons and disruption of economic and social life. Some of the fire cases are mostly caused by negligence on the part of those who uses it”.

“Hence the need to prioritise the management and prevention of fire in our environment to avoid destruction of lives and property, ” he said.

Musibau said that the fire officials, as first responders to emergencies and incident management, had been empowered and equipped to tackle any form of natural and man-made incident across the state.

He appealed to residents to utilise the emergency toll free numbers 767 / 112 to report any case of fire incident to avert loss of lives and property. (NAN)