FOLLOWING the recent fire outbreak in Balogun Market of Lagos State, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) says improper storage of petrol in one of the buildings caused the fire.
The Agency had disclosed this in a series of tweets @lasemasocial on Wednesday.
“Situation Report on a Fire Incident at Martins Street, besides Great Nigeria Limited, Leventis Bus Stop, Lagos Island Update as at 12:45hrs. On arrival at the above scene, it was discovered that a four-storey plaza had been gutted by fire.
“Cause was identified as resulting from improperly stored fuel.
“This fire escalated to adjoining buildings totalling seven (7) in number and is being contained by the Emergency responders i.e LASG Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service and NPA Fire Service. Seven buildings are affected and two have collapsed.
“Given that two buildings have since collapsed, we have found it necessary to insert a gulf around the affected buildings and carry out integrity tests on all of them,” LASEMA said.
Thereafter about 2 pm on Wednesday, LASEMA said: “Five (5) buildings of the affected seven (7) have burned to the extent that they are likely to collapse and having completed integrity tests, will be subject to controlled demolition”.
Viral reports of the inferno had earlier saturated the social media with pictures and videos showing the fire started from the Anambra Plaza at Martins area of the market.
This is, however, less than four months when the popular market in the business district of Lagos gutted fire.
Recalled that on November 5, 2019, a plaza within the market had gutted fire spreading to other sessions of the market, razing down goods and properties, leaving one dead.
Fire somewhere in balogun market Martin's street#marketfire pic.twitter.com/imFptP6t7c
— ichukzy clothing (@ichukzy) January 29, 2020
VIDEO: See as Balogun market traders throw down their properties before the raging fire gets to their respective stores. This is sad and scary. January should come and be going. 😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/onQGp19tBL
— Banqie (@AdeBanqie) January 29, 2020