Residents of Ibassa Ijegun-Egba community in Oriade Local Community Development Area (LCDA), Lagos have urged the Lagos State Government to establish a fire service in their area.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that the station was necessary in the face of incessant fire incidents from tank farms located in the area.
Mr Sefiu Wakili, the Secretary, Ibassa Ijegun-Egba Youth Association, said such a station would be able to respond to fire incidents in the area promptly.
“The activities of tank farms and petroleum tankers are endangering our lives in the community because of incessant fire incidents associated with their businesses.
“In 2017, there was an occasion where petroleum tankers fell on the road and nearly caught fire.
“We expect that there should be an emergency fire station within our community that will speedily respond to such incidents.
“All the 12 farm tanks located in our community do not have fire-fighting equipment in case of fire outbreak.
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“We are imploring the government of Lagos to build a fire service station in our community because our lives and properties are not safe here,” he said.
Mr Lamidi Olatunji, another resident of the area said they were jittery any time there was fire outbreak in tank farms within the area because there was no fire service station in the vicinity.
“On Jan. 24, when Stallionaire Oil and Gas depot went on fire, everybody abandoned the community; some went to pick their children in school.
“If fire service men did not come on time, the whole community would have been in flames because the 12 tank farms are located beside one another.
“This is not the first time that oil depots here will burst into flams; it occurred twice in 2016.
“We are appealing to both the Federal and State Government to save us from incessant fire incidents from these tank farms by giving us a fire station of our own,” he said.
Mr Adagun Raheem, an elder from one of the communities, said the community was ready to provide land where the station would be built, if approved by LASG.
According to Raheem, the fire station, when built, will give the residents rest of mind anytime there is outbreak of fire.
