The Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, says 70 lockup shops have been destroyed by fire in Alade Market in Somolu.

He added that goods worth millions of Naira were also damaged by the inferno.

Mr. Osanyintolu said the Agency received distress calls on Tuesday at 1.05 a.m. concerning the fire outbreak in Alade Market.

“We commenced fire suppression activities immediately we arrived at Somolu market and investigation revealed that the fire was likely from a voltage surge when power supply was restored.

“LASEMA fire fighters with the Lagos State and Federal Fire Services worked tirelessly to put out the inferno.”

He called on members of the public to ensure that their appliances were switched off when not in use in order to prevent fire outbreak,

Mr. Osanyintolu added that the extent of goods destroyed by the fire was still being assessed.

However, Tajudeen Aremu, an eye witness, who was sweeping the market, at the time of the incident, said the fire started a few minutes to 1:a.m.

He said he saw the fire coming out from one particular shop and within a few minutes it extended to many other shops. 

(NAN)