An early morning fire has destroyed the conference hall of the Nigerian Legion office located within the precincts of the Ikoyi Marriage Registry, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the building which has a restaurant beneath, was razed by the inferno, leaving a trail of devastation.
It was leant that the fire which started at about 4.00 a.m. on Wednesday might have been caused by electric sparks.
Eyewitnesses told NAN that the fire was put out at about 6.30 a.m. by a combined team from the Federal Fire Service, the Lagos State Fire Service and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
In an interview with NAN, the Registrar of the Marriage Registry, Mr Sam Kasali, described the fire as a shock.
“We are very surprised about the fire because we always ensured that all electrical appliances are switch off at the close of work every day.
“The fire started at about 4.00 this morning from the conference hall of the Nigerian Legion Office.
“It was put out by officials of both the Federal and Lagos State Fire Services.
“We have four agencies in the premises –the Marriage Registry, The Nigerian Legion, Liaison Office of the NSCDC, and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).
“The response of the firemen was very impressing to the extent that they did not allow the fire to spread to other offices,’’ he said.
An Assistant Commandant at Ikoyi NSCDC office, Mrs Esther Onilede, said the fire was brought under control also with the use of fire extinguishers in addition to the effort of fire-fighters.
She said that the relevant authorities had been contacted to pull down the burnt building.
Also speaking on the fire, the officer in charge of the Nigerian Legion, Mr Yinusa Folorunsho, said an investigative panel had been set up following a directive from the headquarters.