A market around the Ajah area of Lagos State has been engulfed by fire, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, November 4, 2024.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the fire incident occurred at Ajah Market by Alesh bus stop in the Lekki area of Lagos on Sunday night.
He stated: “LASEMA in response to distress calls from the 767 and112 toll-free lines at 09.30hrs, activated its Emergency Response Team from Lekki Base.
“On arrival at the incident scene at about 10 p.m., it was discovered that several shops and stores housing combustible materials were engulfed by fire.
“Investigations conducted revealed that the immediate cause of the fire could not yet be ascertained as at the time of writing this report.
“Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were recorded at the incident scene.”
The LASEMA boss said properties worth a fortune were destroyed in the inferno.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were able to curtail the fire from escalating to adjoining buildings.
Oke-Osanyintolu noted: “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 operation concluded.”
