Fire destroys 48 shops in Lagos market

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An early morning fire that rocked the Elegushi Model Market complex in the Lekki area of Lagos State has left no fewer than 48 shops destroyed.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the PS, the agency received an emergency alert at about 2 am on Sunday and, upon arrival at the scene, discovered that the market complex was engulfed in flames.

He noted that the emergency response team immediately contained the fire to prevent it from causing further damage.

Oke-Osanyintolu stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the fire emanated from a makeshift stall within the market complex before spreading to the main building, adding that no lives were lost in the incident.

He stated, “Preliminary investigations conducted by the Shark Response Team revealed that the fire started from one of the makeshift stalls within the compound of the market and quickly escalated to the main building. The cause of the fire was not known at the time of this report.

“No life was lost, and no injuries were sustained as a result of the incident.

“Collaborative efforts by all stakeholders ensured coordinated firefighting to completely extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjoining buildings.”

He, however, stressed that a post-disaster assessment revealed that 48 shops were affected by the fire.

The PS added that traders were further sensitised on fire prevention and management strategies to avert future occurrences.

“Forty-eight shops were affected by the fire. The market union executives were advised to place fire extinguishers in strategic locations to enable them to arrest or control minor fires before they escalate and spread.

“Shop owners were also advised to be more conscious of fire outbreaks and fire prevention measures. Smoke detectors and fire alarms are to be installed within the premises,” Oke-Osanyintolu concluded.

Lagos markets are notorious for fire incidents, often caused by overcrowding, unsafe practices, and a lack of fire management protocols among traders.

Johnson, an avid reader, has over four years experience in journalism covering education, politics and Metro.

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