A devastating fire broke out at the Oko Baba plank market in Ebute Metta, Lagos, consuming goods worth millions of Naira and destroying a vast portion of the market’s infrastructure.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday.
According to LASEMA’s spokesman, Nosa Okunbor, officials from the LASEMA Response Team, the LRU Fire Unit, and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were immediately dispatched to the scene.
A coordinated search and rescue operation was launched at the market located along Ibadan Street.
“The fire consumed the main plank market, major parts of the shanties, and goods worth millions of Naira,” Okunbor stated.
He noted that while the immediate cause of the fire is yet to be determined, no lives were lost and there were no injuries sustained during the incident.
Emergency services were alerted via the 767 / 112 Toll-Free Emergency lines at 10:20 a.m., and LASEMA’s Cobra Squad from the Onipanu Base arrived at the scene within the hour. Upon their arrival, they found the market engulfed in flames, with fire spreading across the shanties built on a large expanse of land.
“The cause and origin of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained at the time of reporting this incident,” Okunbor added, highlighting that investigations were ongoing.
LASEMA confirmed that the fire has been fully extinguished, with emergency responders securing the area to prevent further danger. Efforts are currently focused on “dampening down” operations to prevent the fire from reigniting.
In addition, residents and market occupants have been educated on fire safety practices to avoid future outbreaks in the market.
This tragic incident marks yet another challenge for the Oko Baba plank market, which has witnessed similar fires in the past.
Authorities have urged traders and residents to adopt better safety measures and be more vigilant in preventing such disasters in the future.