Another Lagos market razed by fire

Multi millions of naira worth of goods, houses, and shops were on Tuesday destroyed as fire ravaged the popular Dosunmu Market on the Island of Lagos.

Five buildings consisting of shops and warehouses were completely burnt in the inferno that lasted for more than four hours.

One of the traders at the affected buildings reportedly collapsed but was rescued by paramedics, who were deployed to the scene of the accident

Four of the affected buildings collapsed one after the other following the high intensity of the fire

The Tuesday inferno occurred less than twenty-four hours after about twenty shops and goods were destroyed at a nearby Balogun Market

Though the cause of the Tuesday fire at Dosunmu Market could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, unconfirmed reports had it that the fire might have started from a power generating set, which was being refueled, while on.

One of the traders was allegedly refueling his generator without putting it off when the fire started.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the Dosummu inferno to the Nigerian Tribune.

LASEMA in a statement, signed by the Permanent Secretary in charge of the agency, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said that the fire started around 10 am.

The agency said; “At 1102hrs, the Agency received distress calls via its Toll-Free Emergency numbers 767/112 prompting activation of the Lagos State Emergency Response Plan.”

LASEMA added; “On arrival of the Lekki Response Team at the incident scene, it was discovered that a two-storey building, the structure besides it, and two other three-storey buildings behind it, were engulfed by fire at the aforementioned address.”

The agency however stated; “The immediate cause of the inferno could not be ascertained as at when writing this report, as the fire had swiftly escalated to adjoining buildings within the premises.”

The agency also stated; “In the cause of the Search, Rescue and Recovery Operation, after due Situation Assessment, LASEMA expanded Response Capacity with additional Teams, manpower and equipment from Onipanu, Cappa Base and the LRU Fire Unit.

According to LASEMA; “No casualties, nor injuries were recorded at the incident scene, however, while putting out the fire, an adult female collapsed and was promptly attended by Paramedics from the LRU Pre-Hospital Care Unit at the incident scene, before being moved swiftly to Marina General Hospital for continued medical care. ”

All emergency responders present at the scene are working together and aggressively combating the fire so as to mitigate the inferno from further spreading to adjourning buildings.

The South West Coordinator of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye also confirmed the fire incident to the Nigerian Tribune.