Fire Rips Through Lagos Market

On Monday morning blazing fire raze through a three-storey complex at the popular Ereko market, Lagos Island, the Nation reports.

This incident comes barely a month after fire engulfed about four plazas in Mandelas, another big market in Lagos Island, destroying wares worth several millions.

Monday’s outbreak, which was said to have affected the second and last floors of the building located at 12b Kosoko Street, Ereko, Idumota, started at about 10am.

It was learnt that the affected building was carelessly stacked with textile materials. 

Although the cause of the outbreak could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report, The Nation learnt that an electrical surge or the storing of petrol inside the shops were likely causes.

Confirming the incident, both the director of Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, and the National Emergency Management Agency’s southwest spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye, said there were no casualties.

Fadipe said five fire trucks were deployed to contain the outbreak, adding that firemen got to the scene at about 10.30am.

Farinloye said the number of shops affected could not be determined as investigations into the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage had not started.

He stated that rescue workers were still on the ground to prevent the fire from reigniting.

It will be recalled that a popular market along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos was gutted by fire in the early hours of January 7, 2015, destroying over N5 million in cash, goods and properties in the market.