Staff and customers within the Lagos port complex of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were scared stiffed today when the fire service station had a fire drill exercise.
The exercise which lasted for about ten minutes witnessed people running helter shelter around the Lagos port complex.
According to the Assistant Chief Fire Officer of the complex, Adebayo Afolabi he said the exercise was to ensure that the staff, visitors and contractors in the port complex raise alarm when ever fire breaks in the complex.
Adding that the exercise was also to imbibe spirit of alertness in the mind of the people at the complex.
“What we have done is to enable us to know the escape route should there be any fire incident, for them to know what to do during the time of emergency.
He however warned the workers not to be lackadaisical in their approach to responding to fire alert.
“When there is fire alert, people should be proactive because it is smoke that kill and not the fire itself, when one is over powered by the smoke, that is the end that is why we advice people to leave the building immediately.
Corroborating him, the Port Manager, Mallam Nasir Muhammed said the exercise is part of a routine exercise that the complex does to keep employees abreast of possible circumstance.
“We never know when the unexpected will arise so people must always be at alert, they must not be caught off guard because fire doesn’t give notice whenever it will occur.
“The drill is to let people know where to go when there is fire incident in the complex and what to do,” he said.