Lagos – Mr Rasak Fadipe, Director, Lagos State Fire Service, on Friday expressed worry over incessant cases of some artisans being trapped in confined space or inside deep well.
Fadipe spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on a recent incident where two men were trapped in an underground tank at a filling station in Ojodu-Berger area.
He also referred to a case of a woman who was recovered from a deep well after she was declared missing at Ijegun area.
According to him, over 26 rescue emergency calls were received from 2015 till date on domestic well drowning or confined space trapping.
”Negligence of people, delay or failure of witnesses to call relevant authority that will promptly and efficiently respond to rescue operation are major causes of loss of lives.
”A delay in the rescue exercise can be dangerous as victims are likely to hit their heads on the well concrete or inhale toxic fumes such as ammonia gas.
“This can quickly lead to internal bleeding, drowning, drowsiness, and damage to the skull or even death.
”Fire fighters, as first responder to incidents, are professionally trained to handle cases like fire incidents, well trapping, drowning, collapsed buildings and other rescue and recovery exercise.
”They should be alerted as quickly as possible to save the situation and rescue victims alive rather than calling after all efforts to save the victims had failed,” he said.
Fadipe also called for community participation and cooperation in incident management.
He said that a prompt distress call at the instance of a fire outbreak or other related emergencies could make a difference.
The director, however, urged residents to adhere strictly to the basic safety tips guiding the digging, rehabilitation and working inside a deep well or confined space.
He reiterated his agency’s readiness to partner with and support well diggers toward the provision of protection gears such as helmets and breathing apparatus. (NAN)