More losses would have been incurred if the fire service unit of United Bank of Africa (UBA) Plc had not come to the rescue of property owners around Obalende, Lagos on Friday.
The bank wasted no time to help put out the fire when it appeared that the men of the Lagos State Fire Service were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the fire, which had reportedly killed an unidentified person.
The fire broke when a yet-to-be-identified driver lost control of a tanker while navigating a bend in the area.
The tanker crashed into an Oando filling station and emptied its content on the street leading a massive fire outbreak that ravaged a building next to it.
Eyewitnesses at the scene were full of praises of the bank, which they said helped avert yet another Disaster.
An eyewitness, simply called Josh, disclosed via twitter that the incident could have caused more damages than it did, if the officials of the state’s fire service were left alone.
He said, “The fire service came ill prepared and the pressure of the water was not strong despite it was so close to the fire.
”It was shocking that the fire truck of UBA that was far away put out the fire in no time. If not for the bank’s truck several buildings would have been gutted by the fire.
“The feat carried out by the bank in putting the fire is indeed a grand one and most be commended.”
Uba fire tanker came through at obalende..other fire tankers where just pouring spit…we need more of this type of tankers pic.twitter.com/K34TWh7Hn2
— Big Josh (@oliver34209) May 1, 2020
Another eyewitnesses, Akin Abayomi noted that the pain and catastrophe that will have befallen the residents of Obalende today is not one to be imagined.
He said, “Too many disasters happening around the world . COVID 19 has literally brought the world to its knees including Nigeria. We do not need another Disaster in any form.”
Meanwhile, General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said,
“Unfortunately, the inferno has resulted in a single fatality, 15 minor casualties and one major casualty, who happens to be a Lagos State Firefighter. He has been subsequently transferred to the Lagos State General Hospital for treatment while the minor casualties received on the scene medical attention.”