Playwright n Filmmaker’s Resident Raze By Fire

Prominent playwright and filmmaker's residence Ola Balogun, at Sabo-Yaba in Lagos, was yesterday raze by fire, which also burnt down a nearby three-storey building housing the secretariat of two labour unions.

It was learned that the fire, which started at about 2:30am in the bungalow, was suspected to have been caused by power surge. The playwright, who will turn 70 in August, was said to have been jostled from sleep by the fire, and began shouting for help. Some of his belongings and vehicles parked in the compound were reportedly salvaged by neighbours, who came to his rescue.  

The intensity of the fire made it impossible for sympathisers to stop it from spreading to nearby buildings, following the late arrival of the fire service at about 3a.m. As the fire raged, Balogun said in a text message to Vanguard: “My residence at 11, Aje Street, Sabo-Yaba, is on fire and has virtually burned down. The next door building at 9, Aje Street is also on fire. Poor response by fire services.” 

The three-storey building which came down as a result of the fire, housed the secretariat of Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions ASSBIFI, affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the federal branch of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE. However, the Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Razaq Fadipe, said the agency received the distress call late. He said: “We got information that the building was distressed and the occupants were served a quit notice, but some illegal occupants took over the building. “The fire started from the bungalow that was beside it and spread to the three-storey building, which incidentally collapsed.  

“The caller, one Tokunbo, called my number directly and I heard in the background that the fire had spread to the nearby building. He told me he had already alerted our communications centre and this was confirmed, when I sent the information.” Secretary of one of the unions, Mr. Obukese Orere, said only a few documents were salvaged from the collapsed building. The building, said to have been in existence for over 30 years, reportedly served as one of the unions headquar-ters until it relocated to Abuja. Hoodlums, who pretended to be helping out, were said to have stolen several property from the building before it caved in.  

Ace Nollywood actor, Bob Manuel-Udokwu, said that he was woken up from sleep by bangs on his door. He said: “It was one of my neighbours that said I should come out before fire consumed my house. “When I rushed out, I could not believe my eyes because the whole place had been covered by thick smoke. “Some of the residents alerted the electricity providers to put out power.