A devastating fire outbreak has razed a one-storey shopping complex housing clothes dealers at 1, Amore Street, Ajegunle Boundary, Lagos, resulting in the destruction of goods estimated to be worth several millions of naira.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it received distress calls at about 2:40 a.m., prompting the immediate activation of the state’s emergency response mechanism.
According to the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, emergency responders arrived at the scene around 3:22 a.m. and found the shopping complex already engulfed in flames.
The fire, he said, spread rapidly due to the high volume of combustible materials in the building, which was primarily used for the storage and sale of clothing.
Preliminary investigations by the LASEMA Response Team indicated that the inferno was triggered by a power surge following the restoration of public electricity supply in the area.
Despite the magnitude of the incident, no casualties or loss of life were recorded.
LASEMA explained that its officials immediately conducted a risk assessment upon arrival, cordoned off the affected area, and activated safety protocols to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings.
Working in collaboration with other emergency responders, the agency successfully contained and extinguished the blaze, thereby averting further damage to nearby structures.
Responders 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.
“The entire one-storey shopping complex and surrounding shops were completely razed by the fire, with all goods and properties stored therein destroyed,” LASEMA stated.
It added that a post-incident physical assessment revealed partial structural compromise of the building, necessitating an urgent structural integrity evaluation.
Firefighting operations have since been concluded, while damping-down activities are ongoing to eliminate residual heat and prevent possible re-ignition. Rescue and recovery operations have also been completed.
LASEMA further recommended a comprehensive structural assessment of the affected building, a review of fire safety measures and storage practices in commercial facilities within the area, as well as continued monitoring of the scene to avert any recurrence.