Fire guts Lagos plank market

In the early hours of Thursday, a fire broke out at the Ladipo Baale Roundabout Plank Market in Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, destroying property worth millions of naira. The blaze affected three shops, but thankfully, no deaths were reported.

Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), confirmed that the fire began around midnight in a section of the plank market. Investigations suggest that a power surge ignited a pile of planks, which then spread quickly to nearby shops.

“No casualties or injuries were recorded in the incident,” Dr. Oke-Osanyitolu stated. “A significant quantity of planks and properties worth millions of naira were salvaged by responders during the operation.”

The combined efforts of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASEMA Response Team, and the Nigerian Police Force successfully contained the fire, preventing it from spreading to other shops in the market.

Following the incident, LASEMA and the Plank Market Association conducted public advocacy on preventive measures to avoid similar occurrences in the future. These measures aim to enhance safety and reduce the risk of fire outbreaks in the market.