NO CASUALTIES IN IFAKO-IJAIYE HOSPITAL FIRE

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Agency Report

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital in Lagos State, Dr. Bamidele Mustapha, has confirmed that no casualties were reported following the fire outbreak at the hospital on Thursday.

According to reports, the fire started at around 3:30 pm on Thursday.

The CMD who spoke with journalist on the spot of the incident, thanked God that no life was lost, nor anyone injured.

“I was having a meeting in my office when I heard people shouting and we all rushed out, behold it was a fire outbreak.

“We thank God that the fire services had actually given us fire drills with extinguishers, which was distributed all over the hospital, so that helped to contain the fire but we could not put it out, ” he said.

Mustapha said that he sent for the fire services and they came in less than 10 minutes and were able to put the fire out.

He said that as at the time of the incident, there were 110 patients on admission, including new born babies with their mothers and members of staff, who were immediately evacuated to a safe place.

“There’s no loss of life, everybody, both my members of staff and all our patients are safe and alive.

” The cause of the fire is not confirmed now but we suspect that it may be a spark from electrical fittings.

” The infrastructure is still standing solid, we thank God for everything,” he said.

Newsmen at the scene, observed that most of the patients and members of staff of the hospital were still in shock as they were seen around the hospital premises.

It is reported that the fire started from the second floor, inside the nurses’ call room.

Mr Suleiman Azeez, whose wife was on admission as at the time of the outbreak, told NAN that he was close to the hospital when he received a call from his wife on the incident.

Azeez said he ran to save his wife but before he got to the hospital, she and other patients had been taken to a safe place within the hospital by the management.

He thanked God who gave his family another opportunity to live.

Mr Noah Stephen, whose son was on admission, said he was at the hospital premises when he heard people shouting and saw smoke.

Stephen said the fire services did a good job and thanked the Lagos state government.

However, the fire services had left before NAN correspondent got there.