Emmanuel Thomas l November 23, 2016
Lagos, Nigeria – Not less than 16 female students residents were suffocated at Yaba College of Technology following an inferno at Bakassi Hall of Residents in the school.
The inferno according to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) occurred at about 5.50 am which led to activation of the ERT team to the scene of the incident.
Twenty rooms and six kitchen were also affected by the fire incident.
“Preliminary investigation conducted by the ERT at the scene of the incident revealed that the cause of the inferno was from a power surge from the ground floor of the 2nd storey building where computer monitored and CPU are stored in ( BAKASSI HALL, female) which escalated to the second floor of the same building”, General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu said.
According to him, the Agency’s ERT, Lagos State Fire Service, UNILAG Fire Service, Yaba Tech Fire Service, NEMA, the Nigeria Police and the Red Cross among others were present at the scene of the incident.
“Fortunately no life was lost in the incident but a total of 20 rooms and 6 kitchens were completely raised by the inferno while about five rooms were partially affected by the fire”, he said, adding that 16 female students including some asthmatic patients were choked by the flame but were quickly attended to by the Emergency Responders and the officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service and were given first aid treatment on the spot.
Tiamiyu said that proper investigation would carried out on the incident adding that the authority at Yabatech is also taking necessary action on the incident. He also noted that all the students have been safely evacuated from the hostel.
