Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed that a market in the Ajah area of Lagos State was consumed by fire, resulting in the destruction of multiple shops and millions of naira worth of goods.
Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, confirmed the devastating fire incident in a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday.
Dr Oke-Osanyintolu clarified that the devastating fire outbreak occurred late Sunday night at Ajah Market, specifically by Alesh Bus Stop in the Lekki area of Lagos.
He said “LASEMA in response to distress calls from the 767 and 112 toll-free lines at 09.30 hrs, activated its Emergency Response Team from Lekki Base.
“On arrival at the incident scene at 22.10 hrs, it was discovered that several shops and stores housing combustible materials were engulfed by fire.
“Investigations conducted revealed that no casualties or injuries were recorded at the incident scene.”
The Permanent Secretary expressed his distress over the extent of damage caused by the inferno, stating that goods and property worth a significant amount were destroyed. He added that LASEMA, working alongside the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, succeeded in preventing the spread of the blaze to nearby structures, thereby minimizing the damage and ensuring the safety of neighboring residents and businesses.
“While fighting the fire, we were simultaneously trying to manage the hostile crowd as the two are the only primary responders at the incident scene.
“The fire has been successfully extinguished by the emergency responders at the incident scene and the operation has been concluded,” he said.
