A part of the General Hospital in Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos State, was gutted by fire on Thursday, prompting urgent safety concerns.
The fire was said to have started from the nurses’ call room before spreading to nearby areas within the hospital complex.
Eyewitnesses shared that the blaze extended to the prenatal and postnatal rooms, before eventually reaching the pediatric ward.
“It started from the nurses’ call room,” an eyewitness said, adding that “the fire then spread to the prenatal and postnatal rooms, after which it affected the pediatric ward.”
The incident caused panic, as thick black smoke was seen pouring out from the building.
Meanwhile, many feared that babies and nursing mothers might be trapped in the three-storey structure.
Although no casualties have been officially confirmed, the fear surrounding the safety of those in the hospital has grown.
A Facebook user, Modinat Melemuku, who filmed the fire incident, shared a video on her page with a message that read,
“Happening now at General Hospital Ifako-Ijaiye, College Road. Please repost. Help is needed.”
Firefighters later arrived at the hospital in response to the emergency.
They were seen battling the flames as onlookers hoped for a quick resolution.
This fire outbreak at Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital has sparked a renewed conversation around emergency readiness and safety systems in public health institutions.
