A fire incident has gutted a one-storey shopping complex occupied by clothing traders at 1, Amore Street, Ajegunle Boundary, Lagos, resulting in the destruction of goods valued at several millions of naira.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that the agency received distress calls at about 2:40 a.m., leading to the swift activation of the state’s emergency response plan.
According to LASEMA, emergency responders arrived at the scene around 3:22 a.m. and found the shopping complex already engulfed in flames.
The fire spread rapidly due to the large quantity of highly combustible materials in the shops, which were primarily used for storing and selling clothing items.
Preliminary findings by the LASEMA Response Team indicated that the inferno was caused by a power surge following the restoration of public electricity supply.
Despite the severity of the blaze, no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
LASEMA said its team immediately carried out a risk assessment, secured the affected area, and implemented safety measures to protect nearby buildings.
Working alongside other emergency agencies, responders were able to contain and extinguish the fire, preventing it from spreading to adjoining structures.
“The entire one-storey shopping complex and surrounding shops were completely razed by the fire, with all goods and properties stored therein destroyed,” the agency said, adding that an initial assessment showed partial structural damage, making an urgent integrity evaluation necessary.
Firefighting operations have since been concluded, while damping-down activities are ongoing to prevent re-ignition. Rescue and recovery efforts have also been completed.
LASEMA recommended a comprehensive structural assessment of the affected building, a review of fire safety and storage practices in commercial premises within the area, and continued monitoring of the scene to forestall a recurrence.
Agencies at the scene included officials from LASEMA’s Cappa Base and Fire Unit, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Nigeria Police Force.