The Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to demolishing buildings that fail integrity tests to prevent disasters.
During a visit to the site of the destructive fire at Dosunmu market on Thursday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasised the need for proactive measures, adding that more buildings will face demolition.
He complained that several residential apartments had been converted into warehouses, posing significant risks to people, property, and businesses.
“A lot of residential apartments have been turned to warehouses. I am saying without any iota of doubt that more buildings will go down.
“I just finished the assessment of a very unfortunate, but preventable disaster.
“Access was denied to the first responder to the fire for a couple of hours. This fire started more than 48 hours ago and is still alive.
“At the last count, we have about 14 houses that have been affected, and more may go down after the extensive test,“ Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
The Governor also assured traders affected by the inferno, that the government will extend support to help them recover from their losses.
News Central reported that a section of the Dosunmu market was engulfed by fire after a generator set exploded around 11 am on Tuesday, April 9.
The Lagos Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed that 14 buildings were affected by the fire.
“The fire started from the Penthouse of one of the buildings where a man was carelessly refuelling a generator before it ignited the fire and escalated to other buildings. There were many generators in the building that further compounded the escalation,” he explained.
In response to the incident, Sanwo-Olu promptly ordered the indefinite closure of the market to ensure safety and prevent further incidents.