A fire broke out on Thursday at the General Hospital in Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, engulfing parts of the three-storey building and causing panic among residents and patients.

Videos from the scene showed thick smoke pouring from the hospital building as onlookers gathered in distress. Firefighters later arrived to battle the blaze.

An eyewitness, Modinat Melemuku, who shared footage of the incident on Facebook, called for urgent help.

She said: “Happening now at General Hospital Ifako-Ijaiye, College Road. Please repost.

Help is needed,” she wrote.

An eyewitness also told reporters the fire began in one part of the hospital before spreading to other sections.

“The fire then spread to the prenatal and postnatal rooms, after which it affected the pediatric ward,” the eyewitness said.

There were concerns that nursing mothers and infants might have been trapped inside, although no casualties were confirmed as of the time of filing this report.

Emergency responders were still on the ground trying to bring the situation under control.

Former South Africa winger Cornal Hendricks has died at the age of 37 due to a heart attack, South African Rugby said on Thursday.

Hendricks, who played in 12 tests for South Africa and scored five tries, was also part of their sevens team when they won gold in the World Games in 2013 and the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

A heart condition had forced him to retire in 2015, but he returned to the sport in 2019 and played in a total of 233 first-class matches in a professional career spanning more than 17 years.

“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Cornal Hendricks, a remarkable athlete who represented his country in sevens and fifteen-man rugby with distinction,”

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said in a statement.”Cornal was one of those players who loved the game and he worked extremely hard, but he always did so with a smile on his face… our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Stephaney and their children, his family, friends, and teammates.”

The Lagos State Government has restricted construction activities across the state to between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm Mondays to Saturdays.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, announced the new directive in a statement on Thursday by the agency’s Director, Public Affairs, Mr Mukaila Sanusi.

Olumide said the measure became necessary to safeguard the environment, curb incidents of building collapse, and enhance the overall well-being of residents.

“This restriction must be strictly adhered to by all stakeholders in the construction sector.

“It is in the public interest and will be enforced by relevant government agencies.

”He added that while the state recognised the dynamic nature of building projects, any request to work beyond the stipulated hours must be made through a formal application and would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“Concessions may be granted but only after due diligence and evaluation,” he said.

The commissioner also urged residents to be vigilant and proactive by reporting construction sites that flout the directive.

“We encourage the public to take ownership of their environment. If you observe construction activities going on outside the approved hours, please report them to the appropriate authorities,” Olumide said.

A construction worker at a site in the Agodo-Egbe area in Alimosho Local Government, who gave his name simply as Musa Tola, told NAN that while the policy might affect project timelines, it was a welcome development if it would help reduce hazards.

“Sometimes we work overnight to meet deadlines but safety is important. If the government is serious about this, we will have to adjust,” Tola said.

Similarly, Mrs Ifeoma Uche, a resident of Idimu, described the move as timely.

“Some sites work all night and the noise disturbs everyone. I think this will bring some sanity,” she said.