A plank market situated at Awori bus stop in the Abule Egba area of Lagos State was ravaged by fire on Sunday, resulting in the destruction of goods and property worth millions of naira.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service reported that the blaze, which occurred around 3:00 pm, led to the loss of five minibuses, two pickup vans, and two cars. A video sent to Metro gathered that a significant portion of the sawmill was reduced to ashes, while a smaller section remained unscathed.
Shopkeepers at the scene desperately tried to salvage their unaffected items, and firefighting efforts were underway to contain the flames. The Director of Public Affairs for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Ahmodu Shakiri, revealed that the fire originated from the breaking of a high-tension power cable along a row of market stalls, causing an explosive outbreak of flames.
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“The cause is attributed to the snapping of a high-tension power cable on a row of market stalls, which subsequently erupted in fire accompanied by a bang,” Shakiri explained. The dry nature of the wooden materials in the sawmill contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. The incident resulted in the destruction of five rows of stalls and nine vehicles, including minibuses, pickup vans, and cars.
Emergency response teams were prompt, with the fire rescue service arriving at the scene within minutes of the call. The fire was successfully contained to prevent further spread beyond the sawmill, and no casualties were reported.
In a separate incident, a church located on Surulere Street in the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State lost its multi-million naira church auditorium to a fire. The fire was caused by the overheating of the auditorium ceiling, leading to its collapse and subsequent ignition.