Buildings, shops razed in Lagos fire mishaps – No less than 130 lock-up shops and buildings were razed on Sunday and Monday following fire ravaged several markets in the Ijora Bardia, Apapa, as well as Owode Elede, Mile 12, parts of Lagos State.
It was learnt that the Ijora Bardia incident happened around 6.30pm on Sunday and consumed more than 109 make-shift structures and buildings built on parcels of land belonging to the Bayelsa State Government.
It was learnt that officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos State Fire Service, responded to distress calls from residents.
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The NEMA South-West zone spokesperson, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said the fire started from one of the shops stored with drums of black oil.
He added that one person, who sustained injuries, had been rushed to a hospital.
He said, “The fire started around 6.30pm from a shop filled with drums of black oil. About 109 shops and residential buildings were consumed in the fire.
“The fire occured on an open space belonging to the Bayelsa State Government, besides the 7up Bottling Company, Ijora. People also use the space as residential facilities.
“One person sustained serious burns and was rescued and taken to a hospital.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Fire Service, Amodu Shakiru, told our correspondent that the Mile 12 fire began around 6am on Monday.
He said more than 20 wooden shops were razed, while property estimated at millions of naira were destroyed.
Shakiru said, “The fire gutted more than 20 wooden shops around 6am at Owode Elede. We were called more than one hour after the fire started and we got there in less than 13 minutes after we got the call. Fire trucks from Alausa and Isolo stations were sent there.
“From our preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by electrical surge.”
He said the traders did not switch off their appliances, which compounded the incident.
The Director of the state fire service, Rasak Fadipe, advised traders to always switch off electrical appliances before leaving for home.
He added that taking precautions could forestall unnecessary loss of lives and property.
He also urged people of the state to promptly call on the fire service whenever there were emergencies without resorting to self help, which could aggravate the situation.
