LAGOS/Nigeria: In a devastating incident on Tuesday, parts of Dosumu Market on Lagos Island were consumed by flames, resulting in the collapse of four buildings. Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, the Lagos Territorial Coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), revealed to journalists that the inferno had also severely impacted 14 other structures in the vicinity.
According to Farinloye, preliminary investigations point to the cause of the fire being attributed to the refueling of a running generator within the market premises, without first shutting off the generator.
The location of the tragic incident was identified as Dosumu Idumota Street, Jankara, as stated in a preliminary report released by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, reported that distress calls were received at 11:02hrs via the agency’s Toll-Free Emergency numbers (767/112), prompting the activation of the Lagos State Emergency Response Plan.
Upon arrival at the scene, the Lekki Response Team discovered that a two-storey building, an adjacent structure, and two other three-storey buildings were engulfed by the raging fire. Osanyintolu noted that the immediate cause of the inferno could not be conclusively determined at the time of reporting, as the fire had rapidly spread to adjacent buildings within the premises.
Despite the swift escalation of the fire, no casualties or injuries were reported at the scene of the incident. However, an adult female collapsed during the firefighting efforts and was promptly attended to by paramedics from the LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) Pre-Hospital Care Unit. She was subsequently transported to Marina General Hospital for further medical attention.
Osanyintolu emphasized the collaborative efforts of all emergency responders present, including LASEMA, NEMA, Federal and State Fire Services, the Nigeria Police, and the fire service of the Nigeria Ports Authority. Additional support was provided by the LRU Pre-Hospital Care Unit and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
Efforts to contain the fire and prevent its further spread to adjoining buildings are ongoing, with emergency responders working tirelessly to mitigate the inferno’s impact on the community.
