No life lost as boat conveying passengers catches fire in Lagos

A commercial boat caught fire on Thursday at the loading point in Ikorodu ferry terminal, Lagos.

The fire outbreak was due to an electrical spark during ignition while the captain and the deckhand were infusing fuel into the engine.

In a statement after the incident, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said all the passengers on board were rescued alive.

“All passengers onboard this boat were rescued alive with the combined efforts of Ikorodu Ferry Terminal Staff, LASWA officials, and several boat operators present at the scene,” the statement reads.

“The rescue team was able to put off this inferno using the terminal hall fire extinguishers.

“The affected passengers were treated by medical personnel at the jetty. Few of the affected passengers were able to continue their journey, while several others had to return home.

“Some of the affected passengers are currently assisting LASWA with further information on this unfortunate incident.”

In October, TheCable published an investigation that exposed how the failure of regulatory agencies is turning Nigeria’s waterways into death traps.