Fire Outbreak: Yabatech Suspends Examinations, Academic Activities

Disturbed by the fire incident that engulfed the female Bakassi Hostel of Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), yesterday, the management of the institution has suspended the scheduled examinations and all forms of academic activities to enable it address the situation
The fire outbreak, according to sources started at the early hours of yesterday at one of the female hotels in the college, and it destroyed many parts of the building as well as students belongings.
There were fear that some students might have lost their lives in the inferno, but however an insider , who pleaded anonymity told Daily Times that some students were actually injured but they were resuscitated and immediately treated at the college medical centre .
The sources further said that some of the students were injured while trying to move their belongings when the fire broke out.
According to the source, the affected students were allegedly electrocuted and were rushed to the school’s medical centre for treatment and are stable.
Another source said it took fire trucks from the Lagos State Fire Service and the University of Lagos and college fire service to put off the fire that started at the early hours of yesterday.
According to sources, the fire which engulfed the hostel lasted for over two hours before the arrival of the fire service from other areas and fire could not be put off immediately because the college fire service ran out of water.
During the incidence, some police vehicles and officers of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency were visible at the school premises.
According to a statement issued by the College Public Relations Units and signed by its head Dr. Charles Oni, the college management has suspended all examinations and lectures in the institution to enable the college address emergence in the institution.
The statement said the Provost of the college Dr. (Mrs.) Margaret Ladipo has expressed her deep sympathy and called on the college community to remain calm as the management was doing all to address the situation.
The statement read: “Sequel to the unfortunate fire incident at the Bakassi Hostel early this morning(yesterday), the Management has suspended all academic activities till further notice. By this notice, all examinations and lectures, especially scheduled for today(yesterday) have been put on hold, while the College attends to the exigency.
The Management regrets the misguided and outright falsehood on the social media and calls to certain radio stations that there was no water on campus to quell the fire. The truth is that firemen needed an excavator to attend to the fire, which the College provided promptly.
Meanwhile, Ladipo has called on the college community ”to remain calm as the management finds ways to soothe the pains inflicted by the accident”.