Goods
worth the sum of N30million were yesterday destroyed in a midnight inferno at
Ojo Alaba international market, Lagos.
The
fire reportedly started around 11p.m from some makeshift canteens located by
the ground section of the affected building, Anarchy Plaza. It houses about
hundred shops.
The
burnt section was a super movie store consisting of four merged shops.
Eyewitnesses
said smoke signal was initially noticed from the refuse heap in front of the
plaza the noon before but wasn’t taken seriously until the heat intensified and
escalated into the huge inferno.
The
bulk of the loss were video CDs of foreign movies, cartoons and audio-visual
players.
Others
were polythene nylon, diaper and beverages sold in nearby makeshift structures.
According
to the market’s Chief Security Officer, (CSO), Mr Okechukwu Chinweze, the Lagos
Fire Service helped to contain fire from spreading to other plaza as not handle
the fire. “In the afternoon, I saw fire there beside the plaza that got burnt
but it wasn’t serious. Around 11pm, we just saw fire sprouting underneath the
refuse. And the content of the refuse is mainly rubbers.
That
aided it and started spreading to other areas. It caught one of the generators
at HP plaza but we protected the area. It was under control and we were even
jubilating until we saw fire oozing out of the affected shop around 1:30pm. We
tried to fight it with detergent and water. We have fire extinguishers but we
were confused when the fire broke out. It was beyond the control of portable
extinguishers.
The
fire service men exhausted their three trucks before it was put out.” He said
the indiscriminate refused disposal also contributed to the fire as traders
were negligent in proper management of their wastes. “The LAWMA officials do
come but some people are stubborn. They have already made the announcement for
them to stop dumping refuse in the open space. But as of now they have been
here today evacuate the waste. The people are to keep their refuse until the
LAWMA comes for them. They come twice a week.”
An
official of the market association, Finance Supervisor, Fancy Furniture
Dealers, Prince Jude Osita shower praise on the Lagos Fire Service for prompt
response and provision of adequately kitted ambulance. He noted that their
unprecedented support avert what could have been a more severe loss. “What
happened is just minor negligence because the fire started from the kitchen
that was not well built.
It
escalated to the plaza and before security people raised alarm, they started
applying water and detergent. The information was passed to the fire service
and the police. In short, I want to use this opportunity to thank the Lagos
State Fire Service. They tried and they are well equipped because when Ojo fire
service section water finished, they signalled Festac and they came to support
them. I didn’t even know that they have a well equipped ambulance until we had
two casualties, a member of the service and a member of our market.
The
fire service man collapsed and ambulance took him to general hospital. After
that iron hit one of our members and that was when I knew that they have well
equipped ambulance. I commend the Lagos State government. There were two nurses
on ground to treat the guy that midnight. The two truck they brought finished
and they went to bring another one. They worked up to 7hours here.” He however,
condemned the rejection of a casualty by the Igando General Hospital, saying
“The General Hospital refused to treat him. They treated
Source:The
Nation
Tags
Business