LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed that fire broke out at Brasas plaza in Balogun market, central Lagos, on its Twitter page.
It was noted that officials were already at the scene of the incident as at the evening of Sunday, 9 October, 2022.
Footage on social media showed thick black smoke pouring out of the last floor of the plaza situated at Martins street in Lagos.
Emergency responders in Lagos are at the scene combating the fire but the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service collaborating with other emergency responders are presently combating a Fire outbreak at a highrise building on Martins Street, Balogun, Lagos Island,” the Lagos emergency responder tweeted via @LagosRescue.
A passer-by who wants to be anonymous, recorded a video of the building in Balogun Market that housed different businesses.
In the video, he said: “Today is October 9, 2022. This is 11:54 am. Happening right now at Balogun Market. Let the necessary authorities be aware. This is serious.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said no casualty was recorded from the fire incident.
He noted that fabrics stored inside the plaza were destroyed by the inferno.
“The Agency responded to distress calls concerning the above location and upon arrival at the scene, a shop on the top floor of a four-storey building was found to be gutted by fire,” Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said.
“Further information gathered revealed that clothing materials were stored inside the shop. Fortunately, there was no casualty involved in the incident.
“The agency’s responders alongside the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Fire service, and UBA Fire Services are working together to put out the fire and prevent its spread to nearby buildings.”
This is the fifth time the market has gone up in flames.
A similar incident occurred at the market sometime in November 2019, 2020, 2021 and earlier this year.
And on each case, several goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Last December, a blazing inferno consumed goods worth millions of naira at the clothing section of the market.