Fire Destroys Property At Balogun Market In Lagos State

Balogun market fire (Photo Credit:The Nation)

A fire outbreak at the popular Balogun market, located on Balogun street, Lagos Island, has resulted in the loss of property estimated to be worth several millions of naira.

The fire reportedly started around 11am yesterday, destroying six mini flats on the third floor of a three storey building at house 48.

Though no life was lost in the fire incident which engulfed the popular fabrics market, those affected by the inferno reportedly lost everything as they were unable to salvage anything before the fire was eventually put out.

Some eyewitnesses who spoke with The Nation, said the fire could have been caused by an electrical fault as the fire began not long after electricity was restored to the area.

Those in nearby buildings hurriedly packed their wares but occupants of the affected buildings were not around during the fire incident and lost everything before emergency services could put out the fire.

A fabrics trader, Mrs Yetunde Ayodele, who occupies the ground floor said: “The fire started between 11am and noon. It began after the electricity came on. We didn’t have power since Tuesday, and soon as the lights came on, we heard something like sparks and not long afterwards we began to see smoke coming out of the flats on the third floor. People began to shout ‘Fire! Fire!!’. There was pandemonium. Some people brought fire extinguishers from some of the big shops around. Others assisted with water. The banks around also brought their fire fighting equipment. There was nobody in the flats, everyone had gone to work. I called one of the residents on phone, but she was in Ikorodu. The fire burnt everything, they could not salvage anything.”

Mrs Opeyemi Adewara, who occupied one of the affected flats with her husband and four children, lamented that she had lost everything and called for help from the government.

She said: “I was at Ikorodu when someone called me that my house was on fire. Everything was completely burnt. Laptops, desktops, documents, clothes, household goods, everything. We have been living here for six years and nothing like this has happened before. Right now, I don’t know what to do because we have nowhere to stay, nowhere to lay our heads tonight. I would appreciate a little help from the government to help us get a temporary place and to get us on our feet.”

Her son, Michael said he was at a bank on the Island when his mum called him to check on the house.

“When I got there, the place was already completely burnt. There were emergency services officials everywhere – Lagos Urban Renewal Agency, Lagos State Emergency Response Agency, the police, Kick Against Indiscipline, Central Business District Officials – all of them were here. The fire services later asked for the names of everyone in the building. I told them before they left.”