Dare Babalola
The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has ordered an investigation into Tuesday’s fire at the Afriland Tower, Broad Street, Lagos Island.
Recall that the unfortunate incident led to the death of ten employees of companies housed in the building.
Six employees of the United Capital died in the incident while the Federal Inland Revenue Service lost four of its staff.
The FFS’ controller general, Samuel Adeyemi Olumode, in a statement on Thursday commiserated with the bereaved institutions and families.
He confirmed that the service’s investigation team has been sent to the scene of the disaster to establish the cause of the outbreak.
He said, “Following initial reports indicating that the fire originated from the inverter room of the building, the CGF has directed the immediate deployment of a Federal Fire Service investigation team to establish the direct and remote causes of the incident, including the state of safety systems, maintenance practices and compliance with fire safety regulations.
“The findings of the investigation will be made public and all recommendations will be implemented without delay.”
Olumode also announced that the fire service would roll out a nationwide ‘Task Force on Fire Safety Compliance’ to audit public and private buildings, enforce safety standards, sanction non-compliance, train facility managers and staff, and strengthen collaboration with regulatory agencies.
He stated that it is not enough to install fire safety equipment but it is essential to maintain it, ensure its functionality and train staff.
