The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has directed students of its College of Nursing Sciences to observe a two-week vacation following a fire outbreak at one of the college hostels.
The Chief Medical Director, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, explained that the break will allow management to assess the damage and implement policies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The fire occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Thursday and was contained with the help of the Fire Service and some individuals on site. Luckily, all students were in their classrooms at the time.
Adeyemo confirmed that the blaze started from a gas cylinder left on after cooking by a student. The fire affected one hostel room and two adjacent rooms, causing significant property damage. A few individuals sustained minor injuries but have since been treated and discharged.
Students have been instructed to resume on January 22, and arrangements have been made for them to attend online lectures during the vacation period.
“We were informed about the fire at around 9:00 a.m., and although the damage was substantial, the fire service and others helped to contain it. Some individuals even used soap and water to help quench the flames before the firefighters arrived,” Adeyemo said.
He emphasised that the hospital management will review policies to prevent future occurrences, including evaluating whether students should continue cooking with gas in hostels.
“Previously, hotplates were used, but over time it became too costly to provide for more than 600 students. With each student having a gas cylinder, a disaster like this was always a possibility,” he noted.
Adeyemo reassured that no student will be penalised for the incident, stressing that the two-week period will be used to formulate preventive measures.