Nahimah Ajikanle Nurudeen
The management of Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) Lagos Sate on Wednesday announced suspension of all academic activities due to the fire incident that happened at a female hostel earlier in the day.
According to a statement signed by the Yabatech Head of Public Relations Unit, Charles Oni, the Rector of the institution, Dr. Margaret Ladipo gave the directive.
Ladipo who called for calmness among the college community, assured that the management would ensure it alleviated challenges caused by the incident.
He lamented the magnitude of damage done by the fire incident which had gone viral on social media.
He said it was sad for people to attribute a reported lack of water in the school, to contain the inferno.
Ladipo said, “Following the unfortunate fire incident at the Bakassi hostel early this morning, the management has suspended all academic activities till further notice and by this notice, all examinations and lectures, especially scheduled for today, have been put on hold while the college attends to the exigency.
“The management regrets the misguided and outright falsehood on the social media and calls to certain radio stations that there was no water on campus to put out the fire,’’ Ladipo said.
It would be recalled that the fire which began at 5.20 a.m., when the school generator was switched on, after a power outage, razed a wing of top floor of Bakassi female hostel, in the institution.
It was gathered that three students sustained injuries as a result of commotion which ensued when the inferno started, causing the affected persons to be rushed to Federal Medical Centre in Yaba and General Hospital in Surulere, Lagos, respectively.
Confirming the reports, Head of Department of Fire Service in the school, Dr Ismail Badmus, said no death was recorded in the incident, noting that only a few students were injured and they had been taken to the hospitals for treatment.
“There was no life lost, but there were some injuries and we lost a lot of students’ items like laptops, phones, books and mattresses. You know it is residential hostel; many combustibles are there, which readily catch fire,’’ Badmus disclosed.
He said that the fire was combated with concerted efforts of the college’s fire service department, National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Fire Service and the State Response Unit.
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