Lagos Landlady Denies Fuel Station Fire Originated From Her Property

Mrs. Gloria Unazoi, a landlady in the Obawole area of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government, Lagos, has refuted claims that the recent fire at a nearby filling station started from her building.

In a letter dated June 26, 2025, and released to PUNCH Online on Monday, Unazoi—through her legal representatives, Bodunde Bankole and Co.—reacted to earlier remarks made by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, who suggested that the blaze originated “from a building behind the filling station.”

“Our client owns the building behind the filling station, but we can categorically state and prove that the fire did not originate from her property,” the letter read, signed by attorney Adedapo Adepegba.

Instead, Unazoi’s counsel blamed the inferno on the improper discharge of petrol from a tanker into the station’s underground tanks. “This mishandling of fuel transfer, not any activity in our client’s building, triggered the fire,” the statement emphasized.

The letter also noted that a similar incident occurred in 2023. Following that, Unazoi reportedly urged the station owner to implement stronger safety measures, but those appeals were allegedly ignored.

“She has written in the past, warning the station about potential fire risks. The neglect to act is what led to this unfortunate event—not our client or her tenants, who have suffered major losses as a result,” the lawyers asserted.

According to eyewitnesses, the explosion erupted around 4 p.m. near K Farms Estate. Residents reported the blaze started from the underground tanks before engulfing other parts of the station.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service responded promptly, cordoning off the area to manage the flames. Their spokesperson, Shakiru Amodu, confirmed that the fire was quickly contained and prevented from spreading to adjacent properties.