Early Morning Fire Guts Popular Oshofa Mansion in Ketu
Pandemonium broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Ikosi area of Ketu, as a devastating inferno completely gutted the topmost floor of a popular three-storey twin building popularly known as "Oshofa’s Mansion," located at No. 11, Ademola Taiwo Street, Ketu.
The incident has left dozens of tenants displaced. By daybreak, the street was turned into a makeshift camp, packed with families who had hurriedly salvaged mattresses, boxes, and household appliances, stranded on the roadside while waiting for vehicles to convey them to safety.
The emergency triggered a rapid deployment of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Tiger Squad alongside the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service. First responders arrived to find the building heavily engulfed in flames, with the fire threatening to jump to the adjoining twin structure.
While panicked residents on the ground lamented what they perceived as a delayed response during the chaotic early morning hours, official agency logs indicate that rescue teams deployed immediately upon receiving the distress calls.
The intense operation successfully contained the fire strictly to the top floor of the affected building, preventing a total block disaster. However, the battle came at a cost: two brave firefighters collapsed at the scene due to severe smoke inhalation. They were quickly evacuated by LASEMA paramedics to a nearby trauma centre, where they are currently in stable condition. No civilian casualties or fatalities were recorded.
Preliminary investigations conducted by LASEMA officials at the scene indicate that the fire was triggered by an electrical surge originating from a prepaid meter situated on the building's balcony.
Despite the official finding, the atmosphere on Ademola Taiwo Street remains charged with heavy suspicion. Some residents initially pointed to a domestic gas cylinder explosion, but a more controversial theory has taken root among the victims.
Speaking to Kosofe Inside Out, a local commercial tricycle (Marwa) rider, named Isiah, who recently resided in the building revealed that tenants had just been served an official notice to quit. The eviction was reportedly ordered by management to clear the building for a general renovation or an outright rebuild.
According to the former resident, the highly suspicious timing of the outbreak—coming immediately after the evacuation order—has convinced many that the fire might not have been an accident. "There is definitely something behind this fire from the people in charge," the rider alleged, echoing a sentiment shared by several displaced neighbours who believe the disaster may have been engineered to force them out quickly.
As at the time of this report, structural engineers from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) are expected at the site to conduct integrity tests on the scorched twin building, while local authorities have yet to comment on the community's allegations of arson