BREAKING: Fire guts Lagos WAEC office, Yaba

There was tension in the early hours of Wednesday as fire gutted the West Africa Examinations Council building in Yaba area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that many people believed to be workers of the examination body were feared trapped in the building as the fire raged.

Daily Independent says the incident was reported on a Lagos radio, Bond FM, explaining that firefighters from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) had arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire.

An eyewitness account on the programme said an employee of the council trapped in between some floors was observed attempting to jump through the windows of the 12-floor building to escape being suffocated.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the fire incident, saying it was caused by a “power surge” on the third floor of the building.

The agency said seven female workers trapped on the fifth and seventh floors were later evacuated.

LASEMA said in a statement, “Upon arrival at the aforementioned location, a section of the WAEC HQ multi-storey building was found to be on fire,” LASEMA said in an update on the situation.

“Further investigations revealed that the fire started on the 3rd floor of the 12-storey building due to a power surge.

“A total of seven female staff of the Corporation were trapped on the 5th and 7th floors and were safely evacuated due to the swift response of the Rescue team on the ground. The fire has also been put off and dampening down concluded.

“The combined efforts of the Agency’s team alongside the Agency’s Paramedics, LASG FIRE, FED FIRE, UNILAG FIRE, LASAMBUS, and LASTMA are on the ground to ensure a swift recovery.”