A fire outbreak on Monday gutted the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command office in Apapa, Lagos, destroying property worth millions of naira.
Gatekeepers News reports that the fire reportedly started at about 10:23am following an electrical surge in the command’s conference room before spreading to other sections of the building.
Customs officers on duty initially attempted to contain the blaze before officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at about 10:45am to assist in putting out the fire.
The incident occurred shortly after Timothy Jonah, the newly deployed Deputy Comptroller of Customs, assumed duty at the command.
Jonah described the incident as unfortunate, saying, “I just resumed duty to take over, only to witness this fire outbreak.”
He said the incident would also provide an opportunity to strengthen the command’s operations and safety measures.
“Every challenge, though negative, is an opportunity to strengthen our operations,” Jonah said.
The deputy comptroller said a committee would be constituted to investigate the cause of the fire and determine the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
He commended the Customs personnel who responded to the incident and worked with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to contain the blaze.
Jonah also said the command would strengthen its safety protocols to prevent a recurrence.
The full extent and value of the property damaged by the fire had yet to be established at the time of reporting.
