At least 294 shops and two bungalows were completely razed when a night fire raged at the Oke-Afa Planks and Building Materials Market in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State on Friday.

The cause of the inferno that started around 9pm on Friday was yet to be ascertained, said the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency in a statement on Saturday.

The statement was titled, ‘LASEMA battles Fire Outbreak at Jakande Plank Market’.

It read, “Consequent upon the arrival of the Agency’s Responders at the scene of the incident, it was discovered that a plank market which consists of 378 shops at the above location was engulfed in a wild inferno on Friday night and continued raging till this morning, Saturday 18th, December 2021.

“All efforts by the Agency’s Response Team, its Fire Men in collaboration with Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjoining buildings proved successful as the fire was curtailed from spreading further and put out completely.”

LASEMA said there was no record of casualties and no loss of lives but the fire razed 294 shops, two residential bungalows, a market mosque, three storage tanks, amongst others.

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LASEMA DG, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, sympathised with the shop owners and the residents of the affected buildings burnt by the fire.

He thereafter appealed to all traders to ensure their properties are well insured while urging Lagosians to be safety-conscious and vigilant especially during the harmattan season which is harsh and prone to fire incidents.