Tragic Lagos Fire Claims Life of 103-Year-Old Woman in Oyingbo Blaze

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A devastating fire outbreak in Lagos has claimed the life of a 103-year-old woman, highlighting once again the persistent dangers of fire incidents in densely populated areas of Nigeria's commercial hub.

The incident occurred on Friday, January 16, 2026, at a residential bungalow located at No. 8 Bola Street, off Kadara Street, in the Oyingbo area of Lagos Mainland. According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), distress calls were received around 11:43 a.m. via the agency's 767/112 toll-free emergency lines, prompting immediate activation of the state's emergency response plan from its Onipanu Base.
Responders, including the LASEMA Response Team, LASEMA Fire Unit, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Nigeria Police Force, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and officials from the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area (led by Vice Chairman Adewale Moshood Momo), arrived at the scene by 12:13 p.m. They found the building — a bungalow with two attached shops — already fully engulfed in flames.
“The fire reportedly started in a room before spreading to other rooms within the building,” said LASEMA Permanent Secretary Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu in a statement. “Unfortunately, one life — a 103-year-old centenarian (name withheld) — was lost to the incident.”

The blaze destroyed eight room-and-parlour apartments, one self-contained mini-flat, six shops, and household properties estimated to be worth millions of naira. Emergency teams conducted a risk assessment, cordoned off the area, and implemented safety measures to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent structures. The inferno was fully extinguished after coordinated efforts, with rescue, recovery, and dampening-down operations concluded. The victim's body was recovered and handed over to her family for burial arrangements.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with no preliminary details released yet. This tragedy comes amid a troubling pattern of fire outbreaks in Lagos, following major incidents in 2025 — including the devastating blaze at the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building on Lagos Island — and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service's report of 133 fatalities from 1,685 fire emergencies last year.
Authorities have repeatedly urged residents to adhere strictly to fire safety regulations, including proper electrical installations, safe storage of flammable materials, and installation of functional fire extinguishers.

This heartbreaking loss of a centenarian has sparked renewed calls for improved fire prevention infrastructure and public awareness in Lagos' residential neighborhoods.

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