By Mathew Johnson
Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed, Tuesday night, when fire gutted a section of the popular Alaba International Market, in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The fire, which broke out about 7:18p.m, razed several lock-up shops located at 155, Olojo Drive, opposite Tantalizers, leaving traders, who resumed yesterday morning, in tears as they watched years of investment up in ashes.
The fire it was gathered, started from one of the shops, which dealt on furnitures, shortly after electricity was restored, when the market had closed for the day.
Meanwhile, some of the traders, who returned to the market when they were called on phone after they had closed for the day, lamented the incident, saying they approached the fire service at the Ojo council secretatiat, but were told their was no water in the fire truck stationed at the council.
But the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service attributed its cause to negligence on the part of some shop owners.
Meanwhile, a Senior Public Affairs Officer for the agency, Maria Fadairo, explained: “Upon receiving the alert, the Ojo and Ijegun-Egba Fire Stations were immediately deployed to the scene.
“The incident involved multiple lock-up shops of varying sizes situated within a two-storey building occupying approximately 648 square meters, within a larger market premises spanning about five hectares.”
“Access to the affected areas proved challenging as most shops were closed for the day, necessitating forced entry to gain access and suppress the fire, a delay that contributed to the spread of the flames which was, however, confined to the floor. The affected shops were primarily involved in the sale of furniture items and alternative power equipment with a law office. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were recorded.
“Firefighting operations were successfully concluded at 10.10p.m., with the support of personnel from the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, and the Ojo Police Division.”
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