By Milcah Tanimu

A devastating fire broke out in the Ladipo plank market located in the Orile-Iganmu area of Lagos State on November 1, 2023, leading to the destruction of approximately 300 shops. This incident has left traders and shop owners in deep distress. Here are the details of the event:

The Fire: The fire began in the middle of the night, around 12:30 am on November 1. The cause of the fire remains uncertain as initial speculation of an electrical surge was ruled out. According to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire Service, Amodu Shakiru, there was no power supply to the market for hours before and after the fire broke out. While the exact cause remains under investigation, negligence on the part of the shop owners is suspected.

Extent of Damage: The Ladipo plank market is divided into lines of shops, with each line consisting of approximately 75 shops. Of the five lines in the market, four of them were severely affected by the fire. This means that roughly 300 shops were either completely destroyed or suffered significant damage. The market also contains other attachment shops for which the number of affected shops couldn’t be determined.

Response: The fire was brought under control through the combined efforts of the officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos Fire Service. Their quick response helped prevent the fire from spreading further.

Inflammatory Goods: The Ladipo plank market primarily deals with the sale of wooden planks, which are highly flammable materials. Given the nature of the goods being sold in the market, there was a concern about the potential for the fire to escalate. Efforts were made to prevent further escalation and ensure the safety of the surrounding area.

Losses: Traders and shop owners in the market suffered significant losses. Some of them claimed that billions of Naira worth of goods were lost in the fire. The cost of individual wooden planks ranged from N1,800 to N2,500, making it clear that substantial financial losses were incurred. Many shop owners had recently restocked their shops, and this incident wiped out their entire inventory.

Concerns about Government Takeover: The traders expressed concerns that the Lagos State Government might take over the land where the market is located after the incident. This fear stems from the history of such occurrences in Nigeria, where government agencies often take control of properties affected by fires or other disasters.

Recovery Challenges: Traders faced a bleak future, as they anticipated the difficulty of recovering from the losses. With the expensive nature of wooden planks, many feared a return to poverty. The loss of machines used for processing planks also added to the financial burden.

Government Response: There was some frustration expressed about the role of the local government in addressing the situation. While firefighting efforts were swiftly initiated, concerns were raised about the need for comprehensive support for the affected traders in their recovery process.

Efforts to contact the Director General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to assess the worth of the damage caused by the fire remained unfruitful as of the time of the report.

In summary, this fire incident in Lagos had a significant impact on traders, who lost valuable inventory and machinery. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the affected traders are facing a challenging road to recovery, with concerns about potential government takeovers of the market.