Independence Day Fire Destroys 26 Shops in Lagos Market

Tragedy struck at Bariga Market, Lagos State, when a fire outbreak in the early hours of Wednesday destroyed no fewer than 26 shops, leaving traders counting heavy losses.

The incident, which occurred around 4 a.m., razed shops stocked with goods worth millions of naira.

According to a statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, emergency responders arrived to find several wooden key-clamp shops already engulfed in flames.

“The fire started from one shop and quickly spread to others because the structures were supported and partitioned by wooden frameworks,” he explained.

Fire Contained, No Casualties

Oke-Osanyintolu said the fire was successfully contained through joint efforts of LASEMA, the fire service, and other responders, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the market.

He confirmed that while properties worth millions of naira were lost, no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.

Unclear Cause

The exact cause of the fire remains unknown as investigations continue.

This latest incident comes barely 24 hours after LASEMA held a summit on emergency preparedness in Lagos.

Recurring Fire Outbreaks in Lagos

Market fires have been a recurring tragedy in Lagos. On September 18, seven people were confirmed dead following a fire at Afriland Tower on Lagos Island, which also destroyed goods worth millions and injured several others.