A fire broke out on Thursday afternoon at Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital in Lagos, prompting a swift response from emergency services and briefly disrupting hospital activities.
The blaze, which ignited around midday, caused alarm among healthcare workers and patients alike, as smoke was seen rising from the second floor of the hospital’s main building. A viral video circulating online captured firefighters arriving at the scene and working to contain the fire.
According to a statement released by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service later that evening, the incident was swiftly managed, with no casualties reported.
Margaret Adeseye, Director of the agency, confirmed that the fire was confined to a nursing room on the second floor of the three-storey structure. She noted that the fire was reported at approximately 3:20 p.m. and was extinguished before it could spread to other parts of the facility.
“Thanks to the prompt response, operations at the hospital have resumed, and public medical services are ongoing without interruption,” Adeseye said, adding that an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
Eyewitnesses said that medical staff and patients temporarily evacuated the building as a precaution. The situation was brought under control before it could result in serious damage.
The incident marks the second hospital fire in Lagos in recent months. In March, a blaze affected parts of Ago Medical Centre in Okota, raising concerns about fire safety in medical facilities.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm while investigations continue to determine what sparked Thursday’s fire.
