An early morning fire in Lagos on Wednesday gutted the Mamman Kontagora Building which houses the Federal Mortgage Bank and other businesses.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the13-storey building, located on Marina Street, accommodates the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the Federal Mortgage Bank, Diamond Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria and others.
An eyewitness said the fire started from the third floor where the generators, powering the entire building were located.
The eyewitness told NAN that the inferno was first noticed at about 9 a.m. before people began to settle down for the day’s work.
It took the men of the Lagos State Fire Services and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) about four hours before they could put out the fire.
The Head of Operations of LASEMA, Mr Femi Giwa confirmed the incidence.
Giwa, who spoke on behalf of the General Manager of the agency, Mr Femi Osanyintolu, said that the agency received the distress call at 9.15 a.m.
“We immediately activated our emergency response on receiving the call.
“Immediately, the Lagos Fire Service, Men of Nigeria Police Force, Federal Fire Service, UBA Fires Service, Union Bank and Federal Port Fire Service response kicked off the rescue operations before 10. a.m.,’’ Giwa said.
However, the fire continued to rage, spreading to the 8th floor through cables and other combustible materials in building.
NAN reports that rescue operations continued as at the time of filling this report but there had not been any casualty as all the workers were evacuated immediately the alarm sounded.
