Panic erupted in the Orile-Iganmu area of Lagos on Sunday after a gas explosion tore through part of the Orisunmibare Market, off Baale Street, leaving several shops destroyed in a fierce blaze.
Although no fatalities were recorded, the fire — which broke out around 2:13 p.m. — consumed goods worth millions of naira, forcing traders and residents to flee for safety.
The explosion was traced to a gas retail outlet reportedly storing multiple cylinders of different sizes.
An eyewitness, identified simply as Ejem, who narrowly escaped the scene, recounted: “I was inside when it happened. Around us here, there are three filling stations — one is the MRS filling station opposite my street; another is a gas company behind my street; and then there’s a man who has a very big shop where he sells gas. They said one of the boys at the shop was pressing his phone when the explosion occurred. The fire spread quickly because part of the nearby market also had shops where people used camp gas for cooking.”
Confirming the incident, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, said emergency responders arrived swiftly and contained the fire.
“No lives were lost, except for one person who sustained a minor hand injury,” she stated.
Meanwhile, another team of firefighters responded to a 33,000-litre petrol tanker accident along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, near the Berger Car Depot.
The tanker, with registration number AAB-942YC, reportedly spilled its contents after colliding with a Mercedes-Benz Jeep (plate number LSR 606HX) and seven other stationary vehicles displayed for sale.
According to Adeseye, “Prompt intervention by the Ajegunle and Ijegun-Egba Fire Crews prevented the spill from escalating into another disaster. The remaining fuel has been safely transferred to another tanker, while recovery of damaged vehicles is ongoing.”
In a separate incident, the Fire Service also rescued a man trapped inside an underground drainage channel along Ikorodu Road, near Idiroko Bus Stop, inward Maryland, Anthony Village, on Saturday afternoon.
Adeseye said a distress call was received at 12:24 p.m., and personnel from the Ilupeju Fire Station were immediately deployed to the scene.
“Upon arrival, responders discovered that a male adult, about 55 years old, had accidentally fallen into a manhole. Our rescue personnel immediately initiated a confined-space rescue operation using specialized equipment, and after sustained effort, the victim was recovered alive and handed over to the Police from Anthony Division for further action,” she explained.
The rescue operation, which lasted until 3:41 p.m., was successfully completed, and the area was secured.
Adeseye reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Lagos, adding that despite handling multiple emergencies within 48 hours, “all incidents were efficiently contained without any loss of life.”