The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has attributed the fire outbreaks at Ladipo and Owode Onirin markets to traders’ negligence, warning that poor handling of electrical appliances continues to pose a serious fire risk.
The fire incidents, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, destroyed goods worth millions of naira, including home appliances, automobile spare parts, and mechanical tools.
Speaking on the Ladipo market fire, LSFRS spokesperson Shakiru Amodu explained that a power surge triggered the inferno but stressed that the underlying cause was improper electrical safety measures by traders.
“Traders often blame power supply and electrical surges for fires, but the real issue is negligence. Our findings show that there was no proper housekeeping when power was restored to the market, which led to the fire,” Amodu stated.
He emphasized that simply switching off electrical appliances is not enough, adding that all appliances should be disconnected from power sources when not in use.
“If power supply was the problem, it would have affected the entire community, not just the warehouse. This was due to negligence,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that the fire at Ladipo was traced to an electrical power surge after electricity was restored to the area.
“The inferno affected various sections of the warehouse, including electronics, generators, bicycles, auto spare parts, furniture, phones, home appliances, and power bikes,” Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed.
Firefighters from the Isolo, Bolade, and Alausa fire stations battled to contain the Ladipo fire, while their counterparts from Alausa and Ikorodu responded to the Owode Onirin market fire.
The LSFRS noted that despite challenges in accessing the affected warehouses, they successfully prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings.
The incident adds to a growing list of market fires in Lagos, including a similar blaze at Ladipo Oluwole market in November 2024, which razed a factory and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.
The LSFRS has urged traders to take fire safety precautions seriously, warning that failure to do so could lead to more devastating losses in the future.
