Goods worth millions of naira were today destroyed in two fire incidents on Lagos Island amidst wailing and chaos.
The first incident happened at the popular Balogun Market in Oluwole Street while the other happened at Dosunmu Street also on the Island.
Emergency responders, comprising the Lagos Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Federal Fire Service, among others, swiftly took charge of the scene to contain the fire incidents from spreading.
The Balogun fire happened in a six-storey building while the second occurred in a three-storey building.
Though the causes of the two incidents were yet to be ascertained, the LASEMA confirmed that the situation had been put under control and localized to prevent the inferno from spreading to nearby buildings.
Daily Trust reports that the Balogun fire raged on even as the fire-fighters tried to put it out with heavy smoking bellowing out from the building.
Our correspondent learnt that fire at Idumota raged because the items in the affected shops were highly inflammable.
Other shop owners also made attempt to evacuate their goods while the rescue operation was ongoing.
Director-General of the LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu said the major challenge faced by emergency responders was in getting access to the scene of the incident.
“However, we have been able to localize and contain the two incidents,” he said, adding that some of the shop owners hid inflammable and hazardous items like generating sets and petrol in their shops.
Earlier in a statement, the agency said, “It is a situation which presented peculiar difficulties to responders to access the source of the fire in order to effectively put it out on time.
“Despite obstacles of inaccessibility via roads and set backs, as all the affected buildings are continuously built together in a conjoined manner, the combined efforts of LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire Service, UBA Fire Service and Federal Fire Service are on ground with the DG/CEO LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, mustering and marshaling all necessary equipment and manpower in battling the raging fire.
“So far, there are no casualties, no fatalities and no injuries. Also, there’s been nobody trapped in any of the commercial buildings.
“Recovery operations still ongoing with the Skylight Fighter Truck fully activated and deployed to aid swift recovery, as dampening commences,” the statement by LASEMA spokesman, Nosa Okunbor added.
