A fire has destroyed the Oko Baba plank market in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos State, Nigeria.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) acknowledged the occurrence in a statement released on Sunday.
LASEMA spokesperson, Nosa Okunbor, reported that teams from the LASEMA Response Team, LRU Fire Unit, and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service have initiated a search and rescue operation at the Oko Baba plank market, located on Ibadan Street in Ebute Metta.
He stated that the initial cause of the fire remains unknown, and that no one was killed or injured as a result of the incident.
“The fire consumed the main plank market, major parts of the shanties and goods worth millions of Naira,” Okunbor said.
“The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, received distress calls via the 767 / 112 Toll-Free Emergency lines at 1020hrs.
“The Agency activated its Cobra Squad from the Onipanu Base and arrived at the incident scene at 11020hrs.
“Upon arrival at the scene, it was observed that a plank market and shanties spread on a large expanse of land was engulfed by fire.
“The cause and origin of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained as at time of reporting this incident.”
According to the LASEMA spokesman, the fire has been entirely extinguished, and emergency responders have secured the entire area.
He said the “dampening down is in progress to prevent re-ignition,” with “occupants enlightened on the dangers, major causes, and ways of preventing fire outbreaks in market areas.”