Lagos Market Fire: Four Buildings Collapse

Lagos market on  fire

By Our Reporter

No fewer than four buildings reportedly collapsed as fire, yesterday, razed some buildings in Dosumu, Idumota market, Jankara area of Lagos.

This came 24 hours after a similar incident involving a three-storey building with 20 built-up shops and three warehouses occurred at the Balogun market, the same axis as yesterday’s incident.

Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has directed that commercial activities in Dosunmu Street and its immediate environs in Lagos be suspended immediately until further notice.

The closure was as a result of the fire incident, which engulfed four buildings in the area leading to collapse of the buildings.

Goods and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the raging fire.

One of the traders was said to have collapsed, while several others sustained injuries in the resultant stampede .

The affected building were used for commercial and residential purposes

The fire was rumoured to have started from a printing house, while its owner was trying to refuel his running power generating set, which reportedly went out of control and spread to other sets in the penthouse. The resultant fire was said to have spread to adjoining buildings, affecting five of them.

One of the affected traders, who simply gave his name as Gideon, alleged that the owner of the printing house (names withheld) escaped unhurt.

According to him, “He went to top fuel in his power generating set while it was still on. The fire started from there and he escaped. We have been warned always to put off the generator whenever we want to put fuel, but most traders will not listen. See what this has caused now.”

He hinted that while some traders succeeded in salvaging some of their goods, others lost theirs to miscreants, who pretended to be helping out.

About 4.56p.m, South West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA Ibrahim Farinloye informed that “the fire has been totally contained but remains the small flame under the collapsed buildings that are expected to burn out.