Fire destroys Lagos popular market few hours to Buhari’s visit

Few hours to the visitation of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos, an early morning inferno on Wednesday consumed no fewer than 13 shops located at the Agbara Market, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos.

The fire began at about 4.35 a.m. from one of the container shops opposite the expressway. Its cause is yet to be ascertained.

The 13 shops are all situated in a single line directly opposite the expressway.

A shop owner, Mrs. Funmi Olabode, said she was contacted on phone by a neighbour who informed her of the incident.

She said that she evacuated all her wares before the fire razed her shop, but expressed regrets that she could not rescue the goods of some of her neighbours.

Another shop owner, Mr. David Buka, who was also able to rescue his wares, expressed shock at the incidence.

“I don’t even know what to say; I live nearby, and I woke up early because today is supposed to be our market day, only for me to meet this situation,” he said.

Mr. Kazeem Sowemimo, who aided in rescuing the goods of some shop owners, said that he works at a Keke Park located in the market and had come out for his day’s work, only to discover the inferno.

He said: “As I came out, I saw fire and saw everybody running up and down so I just began to help out.”

Some shop owners who arrived the market later were seen opening their shops and hurriedly carting away their goods before the fire extends to their shops.

There were, however, cries and lamentations by some others, whose shops and goods were razed by the fire.

Credit: Independent