Fire Guts 26 Shops At Lagos Market

An early morning fire on Wednesday razed 26 shops at Bariga Market, Lagos, destroying goods worth millions of naira.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it received distress calls at about 4:05 a.m. and immediately activated its emergency response team from the Onipanu base.

On arrival at 4:25 a.m., responders found several key-clamp shops in the market engulfed in flames. Preliminary reports revealed that the fire began in one shop and spread rapidly to others because the stalls were partitioned with wooden structures.

The blaze was eventually extinguished through the combined efforts of LASEMA, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos Response Unit paramedics, and the Nigeria Police Force.

LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, said the quick intervention of emergency responders prevented the inferno from spreading to other parts of the market.

While no lives were lost and no injuries recorded, 26 shops were destroyed in the incident. The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained.

“The cause of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained. Further information received at the incident scene revealed that the fire started from one of the shops and quickly spread to other shops because the key-klamp shops were supported and partitioned by wooden frameworks,” Oke-Osanyintolu said in a statement.

“The fire affected twenty-six (26) key-clamp shops within the market with properties worth millions of naira lost to the fire.”

According to him, dampening down of the affected area has been completed and operations have been concluded.

Wednesday’s incident occurred less than three weeks after a fire engulfed Emab Plaza, a four-storey building, located behind Mandilas, Taiwo Street, Lagos Island.

The fire caused extensive damage, destroying goods and properties worth millions of naira, and leaving shop owners and residents in a state of panic