Fire guts Lagos Chief Judge’s chambers

Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade

There was pandemonium on Wednesday at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, Southwest Nigeria, as fire gutted the chambers of the Lagos Chief Judge, Justice Funmilayo Atilade.

The courtroom of the Chief Judge which is on the top floor of the old building was razed by fire at about 8.15 a.m following a spark from one of the air-conditioning units in the chambers.

An unconfirmed report says that the fire started when one of the cleaners switched on the faulty air-conditioner and left the courtroom.

But, another report says that the fire was noticed by a security woman popularly called Alhaja who raised an alarm. The security woman was rushed to the hospital as a result of the smoke she inhaled before the arrival of firefighters.

The courtroom which is hardly used by the Chief Judge is reserved for her anytime she comes to the Lagos division of the court.

The entire building was saved from being razed down following a quick intervention of firemen from the Lagos State Fire Service who prevented the fire from spreading to other courtrooms.

Our correspondent gathered that it took the firefighters about one hour to put out the fire a result of heavy smoke coming from the court room.

Although the fire was quickly put out by the fire fighters, the smoke disrupted activities in the courts as litigants were evacuated from the premises and the gates locked.

Some items of furniture and bookshelves in the Chief judge’s chamber were partly destroyed by the fire.

Fire fighters got to the scene about 30 minutes after the fire started.

A witness, who spoke to our correspondent, said he was in the office when he was informed that there was a fire outbreak.

According to one of the court registrars who spoke on condition of anonymity: “The fire started from one of the air-conditioning units in the CJ’s chambers. But, before anyone could get to know about it, it has gone out of control. I quickly informed my colleagues in the office and we ran down the stairs to our vehicles which we drove out of the premises,” he said.

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