LAGOS, NIGERIA — A massive fire erupted at a furniture market in Lagos State’s Ojota area on Thursday, decimating goods valued at millions of naira.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reported that the blaze, which started around 1 p.m., was traced to an electrical surge from a nearby transformer.
Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, disclosed details of the incident in a statement later that day.
“Upon the arrival of the Tiger Response Team at the incident scene by 1404 hours, it was discovered that several shops used for the production and sale of furniture items were engulfed by fire,” he said.
He noted that preliminary investigations confirmed the fire was ignited by a sudden power surge from the transformer adjacent to the shops, sparking flames that quickly spread throughout the market.
According to eyewitnesses, panic ensued as thick plumes of smoke filled the sky, attracting bystanders and market occupants who scrambled to salvage their goods.
However, the intensity of the fire left little time for recovery efforts, resulting in significant damage to inventory, machinery, and other assets within the market.
The situation prompted swift action from LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team and the Lagos State Fire Service, who arrived promptly to contain the blaze. Despite their rapid response, the inferno consumed multiple shops before it could be brought under control.
The firefighters, along with emergency responders, faced challenges due to the heavy density of the structures and limited access paths within the market, factors that contributed to the spread of the fire.
“Fortunately, no casualties were recorded at the incident scene and no injuries were sustained due to the incident,” Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed, commending the efforts of the emergency teams for their rapid intervention.
However, he emphasized the extensive loss of property, describing it as “destruction of properties worth a fortune.”
The financial impact of the blaze is anticipated to hit local business owners hard, many of whom rely on the furniture market as their primary source of income.
Affected traders expressed their frustration over the incident, urging authorities to improve the safety and maintenance of electrical infrastructure near business premises.
One trader lamented, “This is our livelihood gone up in flames. We need support from the government to recover and prevent this from happening again.”
As part of their assessment, LASEMA officials have called for stricter adherence to electrical safety standards in areas housing commercial operations, stressing the importance of regular transformer maintenance.
This incident underscores ongoing concerns about electrical safety in Lagos, where commercial and residential zones are often densely packed, increasing the risk of fire outbreaks from electrical faults.
In the wake of the fire, LASEMA has advised business owners to prioritize the installation of fire safety equipment and implement electrical safety protocols to safeguard against future incidents.
Although no lives were lost, the Ojota furniture market fire has reignited conversations around the vulnerability of Lagos’s marketplaces to fires caused by electrical malfunctions.
Authorities are expected to conduct further evaluations to prevent similar occurrences in the future, particularly in heavily populated commercial districts across Lagos.
