The management of Ecobank on Tuesday said the fire incident at its head office in Victoria Island on the early hours of Tuesday (today) didn’t affect any major equipment and document as speculated on social media.
The bank in a statement said the fire only affected its generator house and has since been put out by operatives of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
The bank also appreciated adjoining banks who came to its rescue when the fire started. It noted further that normal banking operations have since commenced.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu also said the agency was working hard to unravel the actual cause of the inferno.
He, however, reiterated that no lives, documents, and equipment was lost to the inferno.
Read Ecobank and LASEMA’s full statement below:
Ecobank statement:
FIRE INCIDENT AT ECOBANK’S LAGOS HQ COMPOUND
No loss of life and damage only to diesel tanker and generator house
There was a fire incident this morning in the compound of Ecobank’s Lagos head office when a tanker delivering diesel to the Bank caught fire. The fire was contained within the generator house and the diesel truck and there was no loss of life or damage to any other property.
The Lagos State Fire Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Unit and the Federal Fire Service arrived quickly and put out the fire.
Charles Kie, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, said “We commend the fire service personnel for their diligence, expertise and bravery in dealing with this incident. We sincerely thank Fidelity Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Julius Berger Nigeria and NAPIMS for providing much needed support and we also express our sincere appreciation to the general public and all well-wishers.”
Ecobank’s Data Centre was unaffected, and business at the Head Office rapidly returned to normal. Ecobank assures everyone that the bank’s building and all its other facilities are unaffected. Ecobank successfully triggered its business continuity plan and normal banking activities have continued.
LASEMA statement:
SITUATION REPORT ON THE ON FIRE INCIDENT AT KOFO ABAYOMI AHMED BELLO WAY, VICTORIA ISLAND
The Agency received a distress call at about 8.54 am today 31st July, 2018, through the emergency toll free line 112/767 concerning a fire outbreak in the premises of Eco Bank, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Agency and its responders mobilized to the incident scene immediately. Upon arrival at the scene of incident it was discovered that a 33,000 Ltrs tanker laden with diesel (AGO) while transloading its content cut fire around the Generator house within the Bank’s premises.
The immediate cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. However, investigation is being conducted to ascertain the actual cause of the inferno. Emergency Responders which includes Lagos State fire Service, LASEMA Response Unit Fire Unit, Federal Fire Service, UBA Fire Service Julius Berger Fire service, NNPC Fire Service were all on ground and combatted the inferno, thereby preventing it from escalating to adjoining building. No casualties nor loss of life was recorded as the inferno was completely brought under control. The main structure within the bank premises was also not affected.
Dampening of the affected area is still ongoing as at the time of reporting.