Seventeen shops were destroyed after a fire suspected to have been caused by an electrical surge gutted a section of Sabo Market in Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Tuesday.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency disclosed this in a statement issued by its Head of Public Affairs, Afolabi Olawale.
The agency said the fire started at about 1:10 am, adding that its Tiger Squad, in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, responded to the incident.
According to LASEMA, the fire started in one of the shops before spreading to adjoining stores.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire originated in one of the shops before rapidly spreading to adjoining stores,” the agency said.
It said the prompt intervention of emergency responders prevented the fire from spreading to other sections of the market and nearby buildings.
LASEMA said 17 of the 32 shops in the affected section were destroyed, while provisions, groceries, food items and other valuables were lost.
No death or injury was recorded in the incident.
The agency said recovery operations had been completed and its response team had withdrawn from the scene after bringing the situation under control.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, urged traders and market leaders to prioritise electrical safety.
He advised shop owners to ensure proper wiring, avoid overloading electrical appliances and conduct regular inspections of electrical installations.
Oke-Osanyintolu also urged residents to report emergencies through the state’s toll-free emergency lines, 112 and 767, for prompt response.
