No fewer than 48 shops were destroyed in an early morning fire that swept through the Elegushi Model Market in Lekki, Lagos State.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.
He said the agency received a distress call at about 2 a.m. and immediately mobilised emergency responders to the market, which was already engulfed in flames on their arrival.
Oke-Osanyintolu noted that the swift intervention of the emergency team helped to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjoining structures.
Preliminary findings by LASEMA’s Shark Response Team indicated that the blaze originated from a makeshift stall within the market before spreading to the main building. No casualty or injury was recorded.
“The fire started from one of the makeshift stalls within the market compound and rapidly escalated to the main building. The exact cause is yet to be determined.
Thankfully, no lives were lost, and no one was injured. Coordinated efforts by all stakeholders ensured the fire was completely extinguished and prevented it from affecting neighbouring structures.”
A post-disaster assessment conducted after the incident confirmed that 48 shops were affected by the inferno.
The LASEMA boss stressed the need for traders to prioritise fire safety, urging market unions to take proactive steps to prevent future occurrences.
“Traders were sensitised on fire safety measures. The market union was advised to strategically position fire extinguishers to manage minor incidents before they escalate.
Shop owners were further urged to install smoke detectors and fire alarms and remain vigilant against potential fire outbreaks,” Oke-Osanyintolu added.
Meanwhile, emergency agencies are continuing their assessment of the damage while engaging market officials on measures to strengthen fire safety and avert similar incidents.
It would be recalled that a similar incident occurred on Thursday, December 12, when a late-night fire razed the Berger Trailer Park, popularly known as Berger Suya, in the Olodi-Apapa area of Ajegunle, Lagos, destroying several trailers, container shops and heaps of abandoned tyres.