Tension as fire engulfs popular hotel in Lagos

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has contained a fire outbreak at Purple Crown Hotel on Balogun Street, along Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos.

The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said in a statement on Saturday that the incident was reported at about 9:52 a.m. and affected a room on the first floor of the hotel.

He said LASEMA’s Tiger Squad, in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Nigeria Police, arrived at the scene about 10 minutes after receiving the distress call.

“Upon arrival, responders discovered that a room on the first floor of the hotel had been severely affected by fire,” he stated.

According to the PS, preliminary investigation suggested that “the fire may have been triggered by an electrical fault within the affected room.”

He added that the incident caused significant fire and smoke damage to a section of the building.

The PS noted that there was no loss of life or injury, adding that all hotel guests and staff were safely evacuated to a designated muster point.

“There was no loss of life and no injury recorded. All hotel guests and staff were safely evacuated from the building to the designated muster point,” the statement said.

He added that a roll call was conducted under the supervision of the response team and police officers “to account for all occupants and confirm their safety.”

According to him, the fire was brought under control and completely extinguished through the joint efforts of LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the police.

“The joint operation focused on containing the fire, preventing further spread to adjoining rooms, and ensuring the safety of both occupants and responders,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

He noted that following the incident, access to the entire building was restricted as a precaution because of the volume of smoke and the extent of the fire damage.

The statement said the affected section of the hotel remained cordoned off “pending a detailed structural and electrical integrity assessment by relevant authorities.”

“The situation is now fully under control. The fire has been extinguished and the immediate danger neutralised.

“Normal operations will only resume upon clearance from safety officials.”

The PS commended the emergency responders for what it described as the “speed, professionalism and inter-agency collaboration” displayed during the operation, saying the swift response “prevented escalation and protected lives and property.”

He urged hotel operators, facility managers and business owners to prioritise regular electrical maintenance, install and service fire suppression equipment, and ensure that staff were trained on emergency evacuation procedures.

“Compliance with the Lagos State Safety Commission guidelines remains non-negotiable,” the statement added.

He also urged members of the public to remain calm and report emergencies promptly through the Lagos State emergency toll-free lines: 112, 767 or 08000 112 112.

Very Nigerian reported on Monday that LASEMA responded to separate fire outbreaks in Igando and Anifowoshe, Ikeja, with no loss of life recorded in either incident.

Oke-Osanyintolu had stated that response teams attended to multiple emergency incidents across the state between Sunday evening and the early hours of Monday.

The first fire occurred at about 7:37 pm on Sunday at 23 Shaba Ojo Street, near Omolade Bus Stop, Igando, while the second fire incident was reported at about 11:30 pm at 61 Abeokuta Street, Anifowoshe, Ikeja.

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