Chaos briefly gripped the Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital on Thursday afternoon as a fire broke out in a nursing room on the second floor of the busy three-storey medical facility, sending patients, staff and relatives into a momentary frenzy.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the incident, which occurred around 3:20pm and was quickly brought under control before it could spread to other parts of the hospital.
“It was a close call,” said Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Fire and Rescue Service.
“The inferno started in a nursing room on the second floor of the main building, but thanks to our swift response, we were able to contain the fire before it wreaked greater havoc.”
Emergency responders rushed to the scene shortly after the distress call was placed, ensuring that the flames did not disrupt operations across the hospital complex. Patients in the affected area were temporarily moved as a precaution.
Adeseye assured the public that “no casualties were recorded”, adding that “normal operations have resumed, and medical services to the public continue uninterrupted.”
The fire, though minor in scale, has sparked questions about fire safety in public health institutions. An investigation is now underway to determine the cause.
“We are probing the root of the incident to prevent future occurrences,” Adeseye stated.
Despite the scare, the swift containment of the blaze has drawn praise from hospital staff and members of the public.
The Lagos State Government is yet to issue an official statement, but sources indicate that fire safety assessments may be carried out across other state-run hospitals in the coming days.
