A Mockable Fire Service


If Nigerians who are knowledgeable about public services in the UK or/and the US are asked to make comments on the efficiency of the fire departments in the two aforementioned countries, what their responses might be could be guessed. Even if the respondents have never been to the West, a 2013 thriller titled The Call that features Abigail Breslin and Halle Berry is enough to convince anyone that public services in the US or Canada are not for jokers or façade public administrators whose priorities are self-interests and social media posts of imaginary achievements.

Here is an important question that requires our attention: Is it logically possible for two fire service trucks to arrive at a scene of a fire outbreak without water two hours after emergency numbers were called?
Rescuers at the scene


For anyone who lives in France or the United Kingdom or even Egypt, such could be a fiction. But for residents of Lewis Street in Abule Taylor of Alimoso, Lagos, Nigeria, is not impossible. At around 7:18 a.m. (6:18 GMT) today Saturday, May 30, 2020, the residents experienced the arrivals of two fire service trucks at a scene of a fire outbreak without water.

Although the distance between Ikeja and Lewis Street in Abule Taylor is a distance that could be travelled within 20 minutes, it took the two empty trucks of the Lagos States Fire Service two hours to get to the location of the fire.

As it is obvious in the videos and photos of this unfortunate incident, the fire outbreak is a worrisome disaster to the victims and residents of Lewis Street and its environs. To the fire service of the Lagos States Government, what do you think this incident means?
Rescuers fetching and sharing water at the scene


Residents fighting the fire with water

The victims of this disaster might never recover from this incident. Besides, those in power might never compensate them for the negligence of public service. However, those who work in the fire service, especially top-rated political appointees in the department, would be paid their monthly wages.

Is the fire service a joke? The answer to this question could be freely provided by you. The video and photo evidence is enough to indicate what “next level” (the campaign slogan of those in power) means and what the common people should expect. Whether you are a pessimist or an optimist, everyone seems to be on his/her own. Only God is for all. But if the resources and treasury of this country are managed without an invitation to God, why must we invite him to solve problems that are humanly created by man’s inhumanity to man?
Front view of one of the fire service trucks

Side view of one of the fire service trucks

The scene of the fire outbreak


Comments

  1. Prime-Akinlolú Samuelo30 May 2020 at 15:34

    This is terrible.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ajayi Olabode30 May 2020 at 16:15

    Sad. No matter what we say, nothing will still be done.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown30 May 2020 at 16:46

    Is only here in Nigeria such things can happen. May God help us all in this country

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ayodeji Adedara30 May 2020 at 16:59

    The sheer illogicality called government here! Good journalistic effort, my guy.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown30 May 2020 at 19:25

    This is just too sad. What is now the benefit of the fire services? I think it time individuals focus on what to do for themselves and forget about government that doesn't care about safety of the citizens.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ajamolaya, Opeyemi30 May 2020 at 21:59

    Very unfortunate!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Alexandra31 May 2020 at 02:00

    This is sad and so touching. My heart is touched by looking and reading all this

    ReplyDelete
  8. Finnimilano31 May 2020 at 15:33

    So so terrible

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nathan Ukpai1 June 2020 at 03:35

    Fire service with an "empty trucks" ( humans with empty heads).
    Isn't the above the state of the nation? The fire service is just a replica of Nigerian civil service; just like the trucks are without water, so are our institutions without brain. Otherwise, what can be the excuse for arriving after the long delay, yet without water? What were they coming to do? The Nigerian civil service is a façade. May God not let you have to need their do something urgently at any of the councils. That is when you understand that corruption is endemic. This does not only apply to the fire service, but every other sector.

    Pls, may we leave God out of our problem? Is Nigeria the only country under God's canopy that we must Always be the the country would want to be helped all the time? What is it we are good for? Ours is a pathetic situation.

    ReplyDelete

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