Fire guts student doctors’ hostel in Lagos

By Sola Ogundipe

PANDEMONIUM broke out , Wednesday at the College of Medicine,University of Lagos, CMUL, Idi-Araba, following a mid-morning fire outbreak at the Block 6, Alakilu Male Students’ hostel of the institution.

Eyewitnesses said the incident which occurred around 10.00 am, following an electrical spark, completely destroyed Rooms 647 and 648 located on the upper floor of the building.

No life was lost as the rooms were unoccupied at the time of the fire, but valuables including medical books, vital documents, clothes and other properties of the inhabitants of the rooms were reportedly lost in the inferno.

It was gathered that although lack of water was hindrance to spirited efforts by sympathizers present at the scene, the fire later brought under control and contained following prompt arrival of the Lagos State Fire Service.

In a reaction, the institution’s Public Relations Office, Mr. Segun Odejimi regretted the incident, noting that although series of fire outbreaks due to electrical surge had been recorded on the premises in recent times, the latest was the most severe.

Odejimi assured that the affected students would be relocated to other rooms within the building while renovation of the burnt rooms commenced.