A devastating fire swept through the Ladipo Baale Roundabout Plank Market in Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, on Thursday, destroying properties worth millions of naira.
The blaze, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, gutted three shops in the market.
Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident, according to Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
The fire, which started around midnight, was traced to a pile of planks that caught fire due to a power surge. The inferno quickly spread to three adjacent shops, causing widespread destruction.
“No casualties, nor injuries were recorded in the incident. A significant quantity of planks and properties equally worth millions of naira, were salvaged by responders during the operation.
“Collaborative efforts of the responders were able to quickly bring the fire under control before it could spread to more shops.
“The agency’s Response Team and members of the Plank Market Association conducted Public Advocacy on preventive measures, to avoid such incidents in the future.
“LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Nigerian Police Force responded to the emergency,”Oke-Osanyitolu stated.
LASEMA officials are conducting further investigations into the incident, but preliminary findings indicate that the power surge was the primary cause of the fire. The market traders and owners of the affected shops are counting their losses, which are estimated to be in the millions of naira.
