The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, on Friday June 18, 2021, at about 12:30am, visited the scene of a fire incident that occurred on Thursday at about 10pm, at OPIC Building, by Sheraton Hotels, along Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Ikeja, Lagos State.
This was disclosed in a statement by the police spokesman in the state, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The PPRO said that preliminary investigation revealed that a LPG (gas) tanker, which was moving along the route, developed a fault (leakage) and was parked in front of the OPIC Buiding, before it caught fire that spread all over the OPIC complex, killing about five people and burning some vehicles and property.
The police commissioner, who visited the scene in the company with some police officers and other security and safety agents like Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA and NSCDC, assessed the scene and ordered for immediate dispersal of suspected looters who might want to capitalise on the incident to loot goods and other items in the complex.
He also deployed additional police personnel to the scene, so as to forestall any act of criminality and breakdown of law and order, as the scene was largely crowded.
He further liaised with the Lagos State Fire Service and other safety agencies on how the scene would be cordoned off and secured for further investigation.
Adejobi stated further that it was ascertained that 13 persons were injured during the incident and had been taken to the hospital for proper medical attention.
The Commissioner of Police, during his visit to the same scene, confirmed that three lifeless bodies of some identified staffers at the complex were discovered and evacuated from the scene on Friday.
He further stated that two victims of the incident that were rushed to the hospital had also died while 25 vehicles were burnt within the premises.
Odumosu also promised to institute thorough investigation into the incident, as he ordered for interrogation of the driver and owner of the said LPG truck that caused the leakage and inferno.
The command’s police boss commended the police, the general public and other security and safety agencies for their efforts towards putting off the inferno on time and saving many lives and property.
