LASEMA records 18 major incidents in seven days…no fatalities

LASEMA records 18 major incidents in seven days…no fatalities

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has successfully managed 18 high-risk incidents across the state between Friday, 14 June and Saturday, 21 June 2026.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Head, Public Affairs, LASEMA, Afolabi Olawale, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu.
According to Olawale, in line with global best practice under ISO 22320:2019 – Societal Security & Emergency Management, and the Incident Command System( ICS ), adopted from FEMA’s National Incident Management System, LASEMA’s Cobra, Eagle, Sharks, and LRT teams activated unified command protocols within minutes of each alert, adding that “this ensured seamless integration with LASTMA, Nigeria Police Force, FRSC, Lagos State Fire & Rescue Service, LASAMBUS, NEMA, and community stakeholders at every scene.”

Olawale further disclosed that within the reporting period, LASEMA responded to a diverse spectrum of emergencies,ies including container truck rollovers, vehicle breakdowns, fire outbreaks, tanker incidents, fallen electric poles, and road traffic accidents across critical corridors: Obanikoro, Maryland, Okota, Mushin/Challenge, Marina, Otedola, Ikeja Underbridge, and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

In all the incidents, according to Olawale, no loss of life was recorded in 17 of 18 incidents, except “one victim trapped in a 40-ft container accident at Maryland Roundabout on 18 June and was extricated alive and stabilised by LRU Paramedics, and transferred to Gbobi Orthopaedic Hospital for advanced care – in full compliance with WHO Emergency Medical Services standards.

“Swift intervention by LASEMA Fire Unit, Eagle Response Team, and Lagos State Fire Service at COPACI Nigeria Limited, Okota, on 15 June contained an electrical fire to the factory unit, preventing escalation to adjoining warehouses. Similarly, a GLE Benz fire at Polaris Bank, Mar, ina was extinguished within minutes through multi-agency coordination involving UBA Fire, Federal Fire Service, and LRU Paramedics.

“Through tactical deployment of Super Metro heavy-duty equipment, Lowbeds, forklifts, and private crane support, all obstructed corridors were cleared and reopened to traffic within operational timeframes consistent with NFPA 1710 urban response benchmarks. Critical arteries such as Challenge-Mushin, Obanikoro-Maryland, Otedola Bridge, and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were restored with minimal economic disruption.”

Olawale said every incident was managed under a Unified Command structure. LASTMA provided traffic control; Police and FRSC secured the perimeters; LASAMBUS delivered pre-hospital care; and LNSC supported crowd management.

“This whole-of-government approach reflects the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 principle of strengthening governance to manage disaster risk.

“The consistency of zero-fatality outcomes across high-risk incidents in one week is not accidental. It is the product of deliberate investment in standards, training, and equipment under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ Agenda.

“Our teams operated strictly to ISO, NFPA, and Sphere standards. From rapid scene assessment to cordon establishment to patient triage and equipment recovery, every action was documented through After-Action Review protocols. This culture of learning ensures Lagos remains ahead of evolving urban risks, ” Olawale said.

LASEMA, therefore, reiterated its commitment to 24/7 emergency readiness and urged residents and motorists to: Report emergencies immediately via the 767/112 toll-free lines.

It also advised residents to avoid overloading trucks and ensure regular vehicle maintenance to reduce mechanical failures on Lagos roads.

Adhere to traffic directives at incident scenes to protect responders and road users.

The Agency also promised to continue working with NiMet, PHCN, and road maintenance agencies to address root causes, such as failed road sections and ageing infrastructure, identified in several incident reports.

“Lagos remains safe, resilient, and open for business because emergency management is treated as core megacity infrastructure,” Olawale said.