Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in the early hours of Thursday as fire gutted a four-storey building at the popular Balogun Market in Lagos.
A statement by the Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, said the fire involved a four-storey building on No. 5, Gbajumo Street, Balogun Market, Lagos Island.
According to him, no casualty was recorded in the incident, adding that the fire started in the early hours of Thursday and was combatted headlong before it came up again.
“A market fire outbreak is ongoing at 5, Gbajumo Street, Balogun market, Lagos Island. The outbreak involved a four storey building dealing on clothes and shoes.
“The fire started at about 0045 hours and the concerted efforts of fire men from the Federal and State put out the fire at about 0300. However, while dampening was ongoing, the fire started again at about 0600 hours and presently, the fire has been brought under total control.
“The fire has been contained without spreading to other building. No injury or death has been noticed,” he said.
Also, a statement made available to newsmen by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said: “The agency responded to distress calls concerning the fire incident involving some shops on the ground floor of a three-storey building.
“The cause of the fire cannot be ascertained as no casualty was involved.”
He added that the agency’s response team alongside two Lagos State Fire Service trucks and police are currently working together to subdue the inferno.
The fire incident is happening three months after a fire broke out at the same Balogun market with several goods worth millions lost.
