A fire outbreak aboard a cargo ship, ‘CHANG MIN’ berthed at the ENL Terminal of the Apapa Port, Lagos, was successfully contained on Friday evening, by a coordinated multi-agency emergency response, with no casualties reported.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Saturday, confirmed in a preliminary report that it received a distress call at 5:55 pm and immediately activated the state’s Cobra Emergency Response Plan from its Onipanu base.
The fire reportedly began in section two of the cargo hold of the CHANG MIN, which was laden with highly combustible cargo, including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks, wooden products, and tyres.
Though the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, emergency officials say it ignited during unloading operations.
Read also:
- Customs seize fake, expired drugs, drones worth N921m at Apapa port
- Commercial buses take over okada operations at Apapa port corridor
- Stakeholders move against illegal checkpoints at Apapa port
Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities, as all seafarers on board were safely accounted for, according to the LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.
Emergency responders including LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Fire Unit, and ENL Consortium Limited, quickly implemented a strategic firefighting plan.
Although the fire is now fully under control, authorities say a thorough investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Oke-Osanyintolu commended the swift and coordinated response of all agencies involved, emphasizing that safety protocols were strictly adhered to throughout the operation to prevent secondary incidents.
