Property worth millions destroyed

From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure and Itoro Godwin

Two tragedies befell Lagos and Ondo states yesterday when fire destroyed properties estimated at million of Naira.

In Akure, Ondo State, an early morning inferno ravaged Ayedun Quarters while a section of Alaba International Market went up in flames in Lagos.  No life was lost in the two incidents.

A witness said the cause of the fire in Akure could not be immediately ascertained, while some victims described the outbreak as mysterious.  Some items ravaged by the fire include bags of rice and beans, yam tubers, kegs of palm oil and vegetable oil, cooking utensils, assorted clothes, jewelry, electronics and generating sets.

One of the victims, Mrs Bola Makinde, said she received a telephone call around 1.00 am that her shop had been gutted by fire.  She rushed there and met all her goods consumed by the inferno.

Tearful victims and sympathisers were seen packing the wreckage of the fire when our correspondent visited the scene.

Some residential buildings near the complex were also affected by the inferno.

Efforts of the men of the Ondo State Fire Service, however, helped in putting out the fire.

In Lagos, two persons were injured in the fire that gutted Alaba International Market Fancy Furniture (Anarchy plaza) at Ojo.

President of the traders association,  Emeka Mozoba,  commended the police and fire service for coming to their aid and putting out the fire.

A witness said the fire started yesterday around 1.00am.

The Chief Security Officer (CSO) Mr Okechukwu Chinweze, told Daily Sun that the fire was caused by  a coal pot that was dropped in a wastebin and left by food sellers.

He said four shops and a canteen were razed.

Chinweze said, “if not for the quick response of my team, the fire would have gone beyond this point  before the arrival of the Lagos State Emergency Fire Service.”

A trader, Mr Prince Jude Osita, said the early morning inferno was caused by negligence of the traders who sell food in the area. He said we have told them not to burn refuse in the environment but they would not listen.”