•DNA To Be Conducted On Charred Corpses
Francesca Odimgbe
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, returned to the scene of the Christmas Eve fire at Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building on Martins Street, Lagos Island, to assess the emergency response at the site.
The State’s firefighters and emergency management team, joined by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and security agencies, are yet to leave the site, combing the debris for rescue of possible survivors that could be trapped.
Sanwo-Olu, at the fire site, confirmed the death of eight victims in the inferno, with three of them burnt beyond recognition. Thirteen traders trapped in the rubbles were rescued alive by the combined team of first responders.
Five bodies, the Governor disclosed, had been identified by their families, pointing out that the State Government would conduct DNA tests on the three charred bodies evaluated from the site to identify their families.
After assessing the magnitude of the damage done by the GNI building fire on surrounding buildings, Sanwo-Olu moved round the adjoining streets within the Balogun Market to audit the high-rise buildings.
Revelation pointed to many contraventions and flouting of building codes by the traders in the Balogun market, prompting Sanwo-Olu to direct complete regeneration of the market for restoration of its aesthetics and space.
Sanwo-Olu said he observed reckless flouting of the State’s building regulations to an unacceptable level, noting that the traders were lawless. He said each time people flouted the rules and refused to obey regulations, the effects were always greater in impact.
He said: “In the last one hour, I’ve gone round the streets within the market. From a non-professional assessment, it was clear that most of the buildings in the market are completely distressed. But, we will conduct a professional assessment on all the buildings to ascertain our findings. We will not sit back and listen to people doing as they like. Lives have been lost, properties destroyed and means of livelihood shattered.
“We have seen that there has been a lot of recklessness and carelessness on the part of the traders. Going round the market, I personally counted over 14 industrial generators placed on the fourth floor and fifth floor of some buildings. We saw unapproved structures built on original floors approved in certain buildings. I saw shops built next to electric transformers, which goes to show how traders have been careless with their lives.
“This is an opportunity for us to embark on complete regeneration of the whole area. We are sending message to property owners and developers to come forward; we will be evaluating all the buildings in the market. Regenerating the trading space is going to be a tough decision for us but it is a proper step to take to preserve lives and properties. We will not shy away from taking this responsibility.”
Sanwo-Olu addressed the speculations about people missing and trapped at the fire site, noting that the emergency responders would remain on the site to comb through the debris for possible survivors.
The Governor decried the fatalities recorded, stressing that the rescue team ordered occupants to leave the building while the fire spread.
He also said trading in unapproved areas made vehicular movement difficult in the market, which hindered the first responders from getting access to the scene on time.
“When the fire was raging, people were told to leave the building and the nearby buildings but some of them stayed back to salvage their goods at the risk of their lives,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Governor designated the site as “active site”, disclosing that emergency responders comprising Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), NEMA, police, Department of State Service, the Army, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) and Central Business District (CBD) Office would remain on the site to assist families seeking information.
Some families searching for missing persons were addressed by the Governor at the site. They sought the Governor’s help to get the emergency team to double its rescue effort.
The Governor responded with an assurance of thorough search of the wreckage to rescue any victim that could be trapped. He said the search team would ascertain the safety of its personnel before burrowing into the debris, as there were many unburnt flammable materials at the site that could potentially wreak havoc on the team.
For continuous emergency management at the scene, Sanwo-Olu directed that all shops and buildings within 100 metre radius of the fire site should remain shut until further notice, stressing that the area was still not safe for movement.