Two men have been rescued from a fire that engulfed a residential building on Onitire Road, Itire, Lagos, with one of the victims sustaining burn injuries while attempting to save the other.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the incident occurred at 43 Onitire Road, near Smith Bus Stop, and resulted in extensive damage to an eight-room bungalow and its contents.

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The agency disclosed that the injured man was taken to Gbagada General Hospital for treatment.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the service’s Senior Public Affairs Officer, Fadairo Maria, said the emergency call was received at about 9.10 pm, while firefighters arrived at the scene at 9.35 pm and immediately began rescue and firefighting operations.

According to the statement, firefighters rescued a 75-year-old man who uses a wheelchair from the burning bungalow. A 42-year-old man was also rescued after sustaining burns while trying to save the elderly resident.

Officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) evacuated the injured man to Gbagada General Hospital for medical attention.

The fire affected the eight-room bungalow before spreading to a three-bedroom flat on the upper floor of an adjoining two-storey residential building.

The fire service said the bungalow and its contents were severely damaged, while the affected section of the adjoining building and its contents sustained minor damage.

Firefighters from the Isolo, Sari and Bolade stations participated in the operation, with support from the Federal Fire Service station in Ojuelegba.

Other agencies at the scene included the Lagos Response Unit, LASAMBUS, the Nigeria Police Force from Itire Division and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

The agency said the blaze was eventually brought under control following the coordinated response.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said a preliminary assessment suggested that negligence resulting in an electrical surge might have triggered the fire.

However, it stressed that the exact cause of the incident had yet to be determined.

The Controller-General of the service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, urged residents to take electrical safety seriously to reduce the risk of similar incidents.

She advised households to maintain their electrical installations, avoid overloading sockets and engage qualified electricians to inspect and repair faulty wiring and electrical systems.

Adeseye also encouraged residents to switch off appliances when they are not in use and report fire emergencies promptly.

The fire service reminded residents that emergency assistance could be accessed through the toll-free numbers 112 and 767.

Residents can also contact the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service through its hotline on 08033235891.