Fire razed a sawmill and plank market located at Awori bus stop, Abule Egba, Lagos State on Sunday.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi  Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the fire was caused by a high tension cable.

He said, “At 16:20hrs, the agency received a distress call via its toll free emergency numbers and activated the LASEMA response plans. The Igando zone responded accordingly with the LASEMA Response Unit responding from the agency’s hub at Cappa Base.

“On arrival of the response teams, it was discovered that the sawmill, plank and building material market at the aforementioned address was being gutted by fire. Investigations revealed that the fire was reportedly caused by a high tension cable that cut and dropped on dry plywood.’’

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu added that the cable ignited immediately, erupting into an inferno that spread to the market area.

“The distribution company was reportedly contacted and the public electricity power supply to the entire area was immediately disconnected from the national grid. The LASEMA fire unit and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services are aggressively combating the fire to curtail it from spreading to buildings around the market area,” he added.

He noted that several shops yet unknown were affected including goods worth millions of naira.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu, however, said that no life was lost.

“The inferno is gradually being curtailed and brought under control,” he said.

(NAN)