A fierce fire erupted on Sunday, engulfing a sawmill located along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, near Awori Bus Stop, Abule Egba, Lagos. The inferno wreaked havoc, reducing planks and various items worth millions of Naira to ashes.
Emergency responders, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, promptly mobilized to combat the raging fire.
The cause of the fire, as revealed by the Director of Public Affairs for Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Ahmodu Shakiri, was linked to a high-tension power cable breaking on a row of market stalls. This event triggered an explosive blaze, exacerbating the destruction.
Shakiri explained, “The cause is attributed to the snapping of a high-tension power cable on a row of market stalls which subsequently erupted in Fire accompanied by a bang. The resultant Fire is aided by the dry nature of the combustible wooden materials involved leading to the sporadic spread.”
The impact was severe, with five rows of market stalls and nine vehicles, including mini-buses, pickup vans, and cars, being consumed by the flames. The distress call was received at 3:47 pm, and the fire rescue service swiftly responded by 3:56 pm.
The incident occurred at Awori Bus Stop, Abule Egba, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. The sawmill, sprawling across a vast area, faced immense damage, prompting affected traders to rush to the scene in a desperate attempt to salvage their goods.
The Director of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, assured the public that the situation had been brought under control, preventing the fire from spreading beyond the sawmill. She stated, “Fortunately, no casualty recorded in the incident.”
