Combined team of emergency responders puts out Christ Embassy fire

A combined team of emergency responders has put out a fire that engulfed Christ Embassy Church, Ikeja, on Sunday morning.

Mrs Ibitayo Adenike, the Head of Operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of the Lagos Territorial Office, confirmed the development to the newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.

Adenike said that NEMA received an alert about a fire at the main auditorium of the Christ Embassy Church on Oregun Road in the early hours of Sunday.

“The immediate cause of the fire which started around 7.00 a.m. was not known but it spread quickly causing the roof of the auditorium to cave in.

“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) and other emergency responders fought the inferno and was eventually able to put it out late in the afternoon,” Adenike said.

She added that an integrity test would be carried out on the structure before further actions can be taken.

Adenike noted that emergency responders at the scene of the incident included the Lagos Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), NEMA, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, LSFRS, the Police and the Red Cross.

Earlier, the Director of the LSFRS, Mrs Margret Adeseye, had called for calm as the situation was under control.

Adeseye said excavators were deployed during the operation to pull down some parts of the building to ensure complete extinguishment of the fire and to prevent further structural collapse.

The director said the cause of the incident was yet unknown adding that investigations are underway to determine the cause.

She said that no casualties were recorded.

Also, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, said that the massive fire had been brought under control.

“Dampening down is ongoing, with monitored property salvage.

“The operation involved all key stakeholders.

The building will be subject to materials testing.

There were no casualties or mortality despite any reports to the contrary,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.