Fire damages Lagos hotel

A fire outbreak at Purple Crown Hotel on Balogun Street, along Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos, has been contained, with no death or injury recorded.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the fire, which was reported at about 9:52 a.m. on Saturday, affected a room on the first floor of the hotel.

LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency’s Tiger Squad, working with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Nigeria Police, arrived at the scene within 10 minutes of receiving the distress call.

He said preliminary findings suggested that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault in the affected room.

According to him, the blaze caused significant fire and smoke damage to part of the building, but all guests and staff were safely evacuated to a designated muster point.

He said a roll call was conducted by emergency responders and police officers to account for all occupants and confirm their safety.

“The situation is now fully under control. The fire has been extinguished and the immediate danger neutralised,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

He added that access to the building had been restricted as a precaution due to the extent of the smoke and fire damage, while the affected section remained cordoned off pending structural and electrical assessments.

Oke-Osanyintolu said normal operations at the hotel would only resume after clearance from relevant safety authorities.

He commended the emergency responders for their swift response and inter-agency collaboration, noting that the operation prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining rooms.

The LASEMA boss urged hotel operators and facility managers to carry out regular electrical maintenance, maintain fire suppression equipment and train staff on emergency evacuation procedures.

He also advised members of the public to promptly report emergencies through the state’s emergency lines.