A devastating fire outbreak has razed a shopping complex and several surrounding shops along Amore Street in the Ajegunle Boundary area of Lagos, destroying goods worth millions of naira. The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
In a preliminary report issued on Thursday and signed by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke Osanyintolu, the agency disclosed that distress calls were received at about 2:40 a.m. through its 767/112 toll free emergency lines. This immediately triggered the activation of Lagos State’s emergency response plans from the Cappa Base in Oshodi.
Upon arrival at the scene around 3:22 a.m., the LASEMA Response Team observed intense flames engulfing the one storey shopping complex, which housed several clothing dealers. The fire also spread rapidly to adjoining shops used for the storage and sale of clothes, aided by the high volume of combustible materials within the premises.
Preliminary investigations by emergency responders indicated that the fire was caused by a power surge following the restoration of public electricity supply. LASEMA confirmed that no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded during the incident.
Emergency responders immediately conducted a risk assessment, cordoned off the affected area, and implemented safety and precautionary measures to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures. Firefighting efforts were carried out collaboratively by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other emergency agencies, successfully containing and extinguishing the blaze.
The agency stated that the entire shopping complex and surrounding shops were completely destroyed, with all goods and properties inside lost to the inferno. A physical assessment revealed partial structural compromise of the building, necessitating an urgent structural evaluation.
LASEMA urged business owners and commercial property operators in the area to review their fire safety measures and storage practices to prevent future occurrences. While rescue and recovery operations have been concluded, continuous monitoring of the site is ongoing to prevent reignition.
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