Devastating fire ravage Lagos plank market, millions lost

September 15, 2024

By Samuel Ogunsona

A massive fire swept through the Oko-Baba plank market in Ebute-metta, Lagos, on Sunday.

The devastating blaze destroyed goods worth millions of naira, one of the marketers told The Yoruba Times.

The inferno consumed the main market, shanties, and surrounding areas, but fortunately, no lives were lost.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) responded promptly, containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.

However, the cause of the fire remains unknown as at press time.

This is not the first time the market has experienced a fire incident, with previous occurrences in 2015, 2021, and January 2022.

According to report, The State Government has been planning to relocate the market to a permanent site, but a recent court judgment has halted the process.

The relocation plan aimed to protect the environment and create a more conducive business environment, but traders challenged the move, citing unsuitability of the proposed alternative location.

Human rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has urged the State Government to respect the court order and abandon the relocation plan.

This is the market’s fourth fire incident since 2015.