A fire outbreak on Saturday night razed multiple shops under the Idumota Bridge in the Ebute Ero area of Lagos, causing extensive damage to properties and goods worth hundreds of millions of naira.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency received distress calls at around 10:20 p.m. through its toll-free emergency lines, prompting an immediate response from its teams based in Lekki, Cappa, and Alausa Command and Control Centre.
A statement by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident. “We are relieved to report that there were no casualties or injuries from the fire. Our priority has been safeguarding lives and property,” he stated.
The statement added that, upon arrival at the scene at 10:55 p.m., LASEMA officials discovered that the fire had engulfed several buildings housing car spare parts shops.
Emergency responders, including the LASEMA Fire Unit, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Fire Service, worked together to contain the inferno and prevent it from spreading to nearby structures.
Despite the successful containment of the fire, the damage is significant, with properties and goods valued in the hundreds of millions destroyed. Efforts are currently underway to salvage any remaining valuables from the affected shops.
As of the time of this report, the cause of the fire remains undetermined. Investigations are expected to follow once recovery operations are completed.
Emergency teams, including the LASEMA Shark and Tiger Response Units, are conducting recovery operations. Dampening efforts to eliminate residual pockets of fire are ongoing, while law enforcement officers are managing the crowd to maintain safety.
A LASEMA official noted the efficiency of the coordinated response: “Our teams worked tirelessly alongside the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, and law enforcement agencies to prevent the fire from escalating to nearby structures.”
