Ijegun fire: ‘We had to beg for money to treat the injured’

While talks about penultimate Thursday’s petrol fire explosion at Ijegun, Lagos, may have died down, residents are daily counting their losses, especially as they claim that the death toll has continued to increase. Dorcas Egede reports.

TALKS about the fire outbreak at Ijegun last Thursday seems to have died down, but up till Wednesday when Dorcas Egede visited the area, residents of Catholic Mission Street are still counting their losses.

Burnt shrubs and leaves that make you think the hamarttan season has suddenly happened upon us in July. Burnt mattresses, wood, trees and walls blackened by the ferocity of fire…. These are the sights you behold as you walk through the scene of last week’s NNPC petrol pipeline explosion in Ijegun area of Lagos, which wrecked massive havoc on the neighbourhood. Though a sunny Wednesday afternoon, Catholic Mission Street could well be taken for a ghost town, except for a few passersby.

According to eye witness report, the fire had started from Awolumate Street, which leads to the Catholic Mission Street. Fuel had spilled from Fire Bus-stop, where some illegal bunkerers had been engaged in criminal loading of the fuel into tankers all night long.

According to an eyewitness, up to 10 tankers had come for fuel and about eight had loaded and gone before the unfortunate incident happened. Spill-over of fuel had flowed into the gutters around the area and into the canal that passes through Catholic Mission Street.

Residents of Awolumate Street, Catholic Mission Street, Catholic Street, Irede Street and other adjoining streets told this reporter that they were forced out of their houses by the strong smell of petrol moments before the fire broke out. A commercial bus driver on Awolumate Street, in a desperate attempt to save his LT bus from burning, had kick-started it, despite caution from people around. That singular action, reportedly, ignited a fire that eventually destroyed several vehicles and buildings; claimed two lives immediately, while scores ended up in hospitals with various degrees of burn.

Unfortunately, the fatality number has been on the increase. As at the last count when this reporter visited, 15 people were said to have died from the explosion on Catholic Mission Street alone.

Death toll now 15

Driving past Ijegun, the only thing one notices is the open field where lies the carcass of a heavily burnt tanker; that’s the tanker that was being illegally loaded when the fire sparked off. Beyond the tanker’s carcass and the heavily darkened earth, there’s literally nothing to show that a fire disaster happened in the area.

But going by the way the incident resonated, there had to be more. Driven by curiosity, this reporter approached three young men chatting near a closed shop. From them, she learnt that the fire killed an entire family, a security guard and burnt many cars and shops. According to them, it had rained that day and the rain water carried the spilled petrol through the gutters into the canal that runs through Catholic Mission Street.

With their help, this reporter headed towards Catholic Mission Street. It looked like a ghost town, but people were seen in clusters, obviously still discussing the disaster, nearly a week after. Sorrow was etched on every single brow.

The first thing that greets you as you approach the street is the canal. It runs between Church Street and Catholic Mission Street. The remains of a foot bridge could be seen by the bank of the canal. Some passersby told Sunday Nation that people paid to go over the bridge. This canal has seen many an erosion, so much so, that one end of it is a leveled ground while the other end is as high as a fence.

As you walk into the street, you see maps of various sizes and shapes on the water surface; you’d almost think you’re in the Niger Delta region where oil spillages are common place. There is still a heavy presence of petrol in the canal and gutters in the area. If there isn’t a rainfall soon to wash the petrol away, there may be another fire disaster should there be another spark.

Bereaved relatives count losses

The first person the reporter met on the street identified himself as the younger brother of Sakiru Adeboye, who lived in the third house on Catholic Mission Street. According to him, Adeboye lived in the house with his wife and two children, and they were all badly burnt in the fire and later died.

In fact, when the reporter approached the house, there were people digging on the veranda, obviously preparing a final resting place for the man’s remains. “My brother, his wife and two children died. It’s only one child that is left and he’s in one of the general hospitals. Innocent people that were sleeping in their house died just because some people wanted to steal fuel. The fuel spilled and followed the gutters into the canal.” He finished in controlled rage.

A few meters away were some middle-aged men and women discussing in low tones. When the reporter approached them, a man who wouldn’t give his name but described himself as a friend of the late Adeboye said, “We came here because of Sakiru Adebayo who died with his wife and two children.”

In visible anger, the man asked, “Why are people reporting that two people died?”

As if propelled by the rage of the under-reporting of the number of casualty, there was this sudden cacophony of voices, as everyone in the group wanted to say something. One woman, a resident of the street, said, “More than 12 people have died so far. In that house (pointing to the fifth house on the row), up to eight people have died, including parents, their children and grand children.”

One resident, who introduced herself as Mrs. Esther Rotibi, told Sunday Nation that “The people that we took to the hospital are 22 in number. Twenty of them have died. The person remaining is Atobadi and one other man.”

Though thankful that her life was spared, Rotibi expressed pain at the loss of her neighbours.

Reliving the events of that night, Rotibi, who is also the secretary of the street, said, “It happened on Thursday; we were told that some people came to steal fuel at that fire junction side. They’ve been doing it. And you know water from everywhere in this area has been channeled to the canal here. The houses that were affected are behind the canal. When the fuel started spilling, everything started trooping to the canal. Because of erosion, the houses are now at same level with the canal; that was how fire was able to engulf the doors of their houses.”

“The fire started around 3 or 4am, when one LT bus driver started the vehicle. The atmosphere was charged. So, people who have cars around wanted to kick-start their cars, but the cars didn’t start, but the LT bus owner forced the vehicle to start, creating sparks in the process. That was how the fire spread all over. The bus driver burnt to ashes inside the canal with our security guard.

“The fire started at the beginning of the street and razed everywhere the spilled fuel coursed through, moving back to Fire junction. The fire gutted the houses, starting from the rear, which was closest to the canal. The fire fighters got here after everything had been burnt.”

Four houses were affected on Catholic Mission Street while the raging fire licked the fences of some houses on Church Street. Rotibi however said nobody died on Church Street.

One man, who simply gave his name as Ebenezar, was still visibly shaken by the incidence. In his narration, he said: “The fire started from the junction leading into our street. When vandals burst the pipeline, the fuel from the fire junction spread into our street through the canal. That time, some people were already awakened by the odour of fuel. I didn’t even perceive the odour. I was fast asleep. This must have been around 4am.

“There’s a man we call Japan, he drives an LT-28 bus, he struggled to start the vehicle even though people told him not to. That was how the fire started, entered into the canal and went back to fire junction.

“I am a landlord in the area and by December I would have stayed here for nine years. I have never experienced something like this before. Since I was born, I have never seen that kind of fire in my life. In fact, I can call it a bomb explosion. It was more than fire. What saved me was that the rain that fell earlier entered everybody’s house, so my family moved to stay with my in-laws, so I could carry out some renovations in the house. When I jumped out of my house, I jumped through fire. I cannot explain how it happened. My thinking was that a transformer was burning because of the loud explosion. It was so loud it could wake the dead. It’s such a bitter experience.”

Adeleke Adejare, who is Chairman of Catholic Mission Street residents, told Sunday Nation that “23 persons from four houses were badly affected by the fire. As I speak, 15 out of those persons have died.”

Some of the victims as named by Adejare include Taiwo Omosalewa, who is in critical condition at the Igando General Hospital; Sakiru Adeboye, his wife and two children who were rushed to the hospital but died; Afolabi Marufu and six other members of his household, four of whom Adejare said have died.

Of the four houses that were affected, the house of Sakiru Majid was worst hit. Adejare revealed that 12 persons were burnt in that house, including father, mother, children and grandchildren. He said five of the twelve people have died.

General Hospitals insisted on payment before treatment, residents say

According to reports by Rotibi and Ebenezar, the victims that are yet alive are hanging on to life by a tiny thread of hope. “The two people in General Hospital are in very critical condition. It’s just like one leg here and one leg in heaven.” Rotibi said.

According to Ebenezar, “We immediately rushed the victims to a private hospital around. After some hours, we called LASEMA and they brought ambulance to carry the victims to different general hospitals. But to my surprise, barely a week after, almost everybody taken to the general hospitals has died. I don’t know what they are doing in the general hospital. I don’t know the exact number we took to the hospitals, but the ones remaining will be like three or four, and those ones, their chances are very slim. The only persons who stand a chance to survive are the ones taken to one private hospital in Ijegun here. That’s why I’m wondering what they are doing in general hospitals.

“They refused to start treating them until we raised money to take to them; yet we didn’t have good result.”

Rotibi revealed that the people who were affected by the fire ran out of their houses by themselves and some of them ran to her house for something to cover themselves; hence she couldn’t fathom why they died. She added, “We were the ones who started rallying round for money. We had to beg money on the street, until we were able to gather N95,000, which we shared among the four affected families. It was only when the hospitals saw money that the victims were attended to.”

Canal of death

Every resident of Catholic Mission Street who spoke to the reporter about the canal referred to it as a death trap and more disaster waiting to happen if the government does not do something about it real quick. Rotibi claimed that the canal was created by the Fashola Administration some eight or 10 years ago, adding that “the water from streets in the area are channeled into this canal. We have been appealing to the government for six years now to come and drain this canal and do it properly. Please help us tell the government to come and help us pack this canal. Is it until all of us die that they will answer us?”

Apart from the unfortunate fire disaster, Rotibi also noted that residents of Catholic Mission Street suffer from flooding on account of the poor state of the canal. She said, “When it is raining, water enters into our houses. Let the government of Governor Sanwo-Olu do something for us.”

Ebenezar on his part said, they haven’t been mute about the situation.  “We have been writing to concerned authorities about this canal and what we suffer when the rains come. Assuming they have packed (desilted) the canal; the fire would not have had as much impact as it did.”

One Mrs. Aina, who lives on Irede Street, though wasn’t so affected by the fire, also appealed to the government to help do something about the canal. “Help us appeal to the government to adjust this canal. Let the canal be deep and let them put concrete on both sides. If this had been done, this thing would not happen to them.”

Adejare called on the Lagos State government to come to their rescue and help dig out the canal, so that it can flow properly. He believes that if the canal had been flowing when the incident happened, the damage would have been minimal.

Survivors’ families count blessing

Sunday Nation spoke with, Isaiah Ige, in-law to Sakiru Majid, who said he didn’t “know what really happened.” He said his wife, Anike and two children; aged two and six survived the incident and are recuperating at a private hospital in the area. “I stay at Abaranje with my family. My wife, Anike brought the children to come and greet her parents. They came here on Wednesday and the incident took place the following day.” He said.

Ige revealed that when he was contacted as soon as the incident happened, he immediately rushed down to take his wife and children to the hospital. “When it happened, I was called and I quickly rushed them to this private hospital. Her parents were taken to Gbagada General Hospital. Four members of the family are dead: my wife’s mum and her two of sisters are dead along with one of her sister’s children. Majid is still at General Hospital, Gbagada.”

Patients are responding – doctor

Doctor Fagbemi, Medical Director of a hospital at Ijegun, in a chat with Sunday Nation, said “Only three people: middle-aged woman with her two kids, 2 and 6 year olds” were brought to his hospital the day of the incident.

He said “their burns are very bad. The woman should be about 42% burnt, because the whole back is taken; the whole neck; one of her hands and from her lower abdomen up are also taken.”

He noted that the burn wasn’t up to 42% at first, but that they kept unraveling more burns as the days rolled by. “Initially, it was like 36% burns, but as the days went by, we began to notice other places that the fire had burnt but didn’t peel off immediately. Today is the sixth day, but we peeled off some parts today as well.”

Sanwo-Olu promises to repair canal

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Friday, visited the bereaved community to commiserate with the people. He was at Catholic Mission Street, where he personally interacted with victims and their relatives.

Adejare, who said he was out of town but sent a representative, noted that the “Governor and Senator Olamilekan (Yayi) representing Lagos West senatorial District, came to our place today. I wasn’t around, but I sent a representative there. Following complaints from residents, the governor promised to come to the aid of the people by repairing the canal. According to reports that reached me, he requested that the community creates more space for the canal, 10m to the left and 10m to the right.”

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