18th September, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
Thousands have been rendered homeless as fire razed about 150 makeshift buildings at Alagutan, Ajah area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
The fire was said to have started around 2:00 am on Thursday, the Lagos State Fire Services told PM NEWS.
Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, in a telephone conversation with our reporter said the fire razed about 150 makeshift buildings in the area and that the extent of damage was much.
According to Fadipe, the fire was said to have started around 2:00 am while the fire service was called around 3:05am, saying that it responded promptly to the distress call.
He added that the fire would have destroyed more structures if not for the prompt intervention of the fire service as there were over 700 makeshift structures in the area.
According to him, one of the residents in one of the structures lit a candle, which ignited the fire that razed about 150 buildings in the area.
“The makeshift structures are residential, they are shanty structures. It was said that one of the houses where candle was lit started there. It was caused by candle stick and it destroyed up to 150 structures.
“We receive the call at 3:05am but we were told it started by 2:00am. Lekki phase 2 fire station and Onikan fire station responded to battle the fire with 10,000 litres of water each. We were able to save many of the shanties because the number of shanties there numbered over 700. It covered a very land expanse of land,” he said.
On the Katangowa market fire, Fadipe said it affected part of the market where they sell second hand clothes. “The market is opposite the Agege Fire Station, so for the prompt response from our men, the fire would have spread to other parts of the market. The damage was severe at the textile area of the market but there is no casualty,” he said.