Goods valued at millions of naira were destroyed when a fire swept through a market in the Ajah area of Lagos State, confirmed the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Monday.
In a statement released to the press, LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, reported that the blaze occurred late Sunday night at Ajah Market, near the Alesh Bus Stop in Lekki.
“LASEMA, in response to distress calls received through the 767 and 112 toll-free lines at 9:30 AM, activated its Emergency Response Team from the Lekki Base,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
Upon arrival at the scene at 10:10 PM, responders found several shops and stores filled with combustible materials engulfed in flames. “Investigations conducted revealed that the immediate cause of the fire could not yet be ascertained as of the time of writing this report,” he added.
Fortunately, Oke-Osanyintolu noted that there were no reported casualties or injuries from the incident. He explained that the fire was contained thanks to the efforts of LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, which worked to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring buildings.
“While fighting the fire, we were simultaneously trying to manage the hostile crowd, as the two agencies were the only primary responders at the incident scene. The fire has been successfully extinguished, and the operation has concluded,” he stated.
