Fire in a Lagos market
The documentary, Burning Point: Inside Lagos Fire, was produced by CBI News, the flagship news platform of Tribune Media, a company within the Baywood Group.
A documentary on fire incidents in Lagos has been unveiled by Baywood with stakeholders calling for stronger prevention measures and improved emergency response.
The documentary, Burning Point: Inside Lagos Fire, was produced by CBI News, the flagship news platform of Tribune Media, a company within the Baywood Group.
The premiere was held on Victoria Island, Lagos, on Monday.
Speaking at the premiere, the group’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mr Chris Ibe, said the documentary examined fire causes, emergency response systems and measures to prevent future disasters.
Ibe said the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service recorded 1,385 fire incidents in 2025, resulting in 103 deaths and estimated losses of N19.72 billion.
He said fire safety required collective responsibility among government agencies, emergency responders, property owners, businesses, the media and residents.
Ibe identified inadequate equipment, infrastructure, training, emergency access and inter-agency coordination as areas requiring urgent attention.
He urged property owners and businesses to maintain functional fire extinguishers and regularly assess potential fire risks.
Ibe said investigative journalism should expose institutional gaps, promote accountability and recommend practical solutions to improve public safety.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the state government had expanded firefighting capacity through additional stations, vehicles, personnel and professional training.
Hamzat, represented by Mrs Margaret Adeseye, the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, said the number of fire stations increased from 14 in 2019 to 29.
He said the government procured 62 operational vehicles and recruited 685 additional personnel between 2019 and 2023.
He added that zonal headquarters and a welding and mechanical engineering workshop had improved operational coordination and equipment maintenance.
Hamzat urged building owners and businesses to ensure safe electrical installations, provide accessible escape routes and comply with fire safety regulations.
He said reviews of major fire incidents should establish the facts, identify operational gaps and guide corrective action.
Also speaking, the President-General of the Ndigbo Market Traders Association, Mr Chinedu Ukatu, called for safer market infrastructure to protect traders and their livelihoods.
Ukatu said traders who lost their goods to fires often remained indebted to banks in spite of losing their businesses.
He cited the case of a trader who borrowed N20 million to import goods but lost the entire stock in a fire.
Ukatu identified ageing electrical installations, overcrowded shops, inadequate access roads and non-functional fire extinguishers as factors increasing fire risks in markets.
He called for stronger regulatory enforcement and thorough investigations into suspected deliberate fires.
“We need to move from condolences to prevention investment,” he said.
Ukatu proposed a partnership between the Lagos State Government and market associations to identify and replace unsafe electrical installations and modernise old market structures.
He also called for improved fire insurance coverage and training for volunteer market fire marshals to contain small fires before professional firefighters arrived.
Ukatu said the association was ready to work with the National Insurance Commission and the state government to develop insurance arrangements for traders.
NAN reports that the premiere attracted government representatives, emergency service officials, market stakeholders, professionals and media practitioners to discuss fire safety and accountability. (NAN)
