Fire destroys 17 shops in Lagos market

The scene of the fire. Photo: LASEMA

A fire broke out early Tuesday morning at Sabo Market in Ikorodu, Lagos State. The fire damaged 17 shops before emergency teams could contain it.

Olawale Afolabi, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the fire started around 1:10 a.m. He said the situation was managed quickly, stopping the fire from spreading to other parts of the market.

Afolabi shared that early investigations showed the fire likely started in one shop and moved to nearby stalls.

"The immediate cause is suspected to be an electrical surge, as the outbreak reportedly occurred while the power supply was active," the agency stated.

Emergency responders from LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service acted quickly. They worked hard to put out the fire and prevent it from becoming worse.

A post-incident assessment found that 17 out of 32 shops in that area of the market were damaged. Items like provisions, groceries, and foodstuffs were lost in the fire.

Afolabi said, "Fortunately, no loss of life or injuries were recorded. The remaining shops in the affected row and nearby shops were largely saved due to the quick response of emergency teams."

He added, "Recovery operations have now been successfully concluded, and the LASEMA Response Team has returned to base."

Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, praised the emergency teams for their efforts. He advised market leaders, traders, and residents to focus on electrical safety. They should check the wiring in shops, avoid overloading electrical appliances, and carry out regular checks on electrical systems.

Oke-Osanyintolu also encouraged residents to quickly report emergencies. They can call the state's toll-free emergency lines, 112 and 767.

This fire happened just three days after another fire damaged a three-storey building in the Ikosi area. Thankfully, no lives were lost in that incident as well, according to LASEMA.