Properties worth billions of naira were in the early hours of Saturday destroyed in an inferno at the popular Amu Timber market near Olorunsogo Bus-stop in Mushin area of Lagos.
Two houses already caught fire while the main market of about 2200 sqm were consumed in the fire disaster.
The fire which started around midnight has extended to nearby houses.
The incident, it was learnt, culminated in heavy explosion of plywood and asbestos.
Eyewitness said the intensity of the fire became high due to wooden and polythene materials majorly sold in the market.
However, none has been reported dead.
The state fire service and the Federal Fire Service and Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) continue to battle to put out the fire.
LASEMA in its update on the fire incident said it was reported about 01:25a.m through a distress calls to its Control Room via 767.
Spokesman of LASEMA, Nosa Okunbor, said first responders had long been at work since about 02:00a.m.
He debunked rumour that the Fire Services responded without water in their appliances.
LASEMA revealed that upon arrival at incident scene, it was observed that many plank shops and adjoining residential buildings were gutted by the raging fire.
Further investigations at the incident site revealed that the fire was caused by an electrical surge.
Though an actual amount of damage wrought by the fire can not yet be given until proper enumeration is conducted, conservative estimates and tentative analysis has it that the inferno has razed goods and properties worth several millions of naira.
The inferno is currently being combated by the combined efforts of LASEMA Fire Unit with two fire trucks, Julius Berger Fire Unit with two fire trucks and a Water Tanker, the Lagos State Fire Service with two fire trucks, the Federal Fire Service, the RRS, LNSC and the community.
Operations are ongoing.
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