…the fire was caused by an electrical surge.
LAGOS, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Fire destroyed property worth several millions of naira in the early hours of yesterday after it gutted a one-storey commercial building at No. 3, Osundairo Street, off Medical Road, in the Ikeja Computer Village area of Lagos State.
Eyewitnesses said the blaze, which broke out around midnight, affected a commercial structure housing dealers in computers and accessories.
No fatalities were recorded in the incident. However, a Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service officer sustained minor injuries during the firefighting operation and received first-aid treatment on the spot from the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
Following a distress call, personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) swiftly responded and successfully brought the fire under control, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.
The iNews Times gathered that the inferno was caused by an electrical surge. The building, mainly used for the storage and sale of computers and accessories, contained a large volume of combustible materials, which reportedly contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.
The entire upper floor of the one-storey structure was completely razed by the blaze.
Confirming the incident, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said goods and properties worth several millions of naira stored in the building were totally destroyed.
He added that a physical assessment revealed partial structural compromise of the building, necessitating immediate structural evaluation. According to him, LASEMA’s response team carried out a risk assessment upon arrival and cordoned off the affected area while implementing safety measures to protect adjoining buildings.
“Prompt interventions by the LASEMA Response Team and other emergency responders prevented the inferno from escalating to neighbouring structures,” he said.
As of press time, the fire had been fully suppressed and contained within the affected building, while damping-down operations were ongoing to eliminate residual heat and prevent re-ignition.
Meanwhile, traders, sympathisers and residents thronged the scene, expressing grief over the incident as affected shop owners counted their losses.
Several traders described the incident as devastating, lamenting the destruction of their livelihoods.
A victim, identified simply as John, said in tears: “I lost computers worth several millions of naira. I just restocked my shop. I am ruined.”
Another trader, Hamed Animashaun, questioned the recurring market fires, saying: “First it was Balogun, now Computer Village. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Nwoko Oboro, who also claimed to have lost goods worth millions, expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of follow-up investigations. “After the fire, nothing happens. Even when investigations are carried out, we are always the ones who lose,” he said.
Peter Aloh called for stronger fire-prevention measures, urging the government to establish mini fire stations in major markets and enforce the use of fire extinguishers in shops.
Another trader, Kennedy Akachukwu, described the scene as heartbreaking, saying, “People’s businesses were just burning. What a loss.”
Barclay Eke also lamented poor emergency response infrastructure, criticising what he called government failure in basic services.
