Fire razes over 200 Ketu shops, MRS station in Lawanson

KETU neighbourhood of Lagos State was rudely jolted to life in the early hours of Thursday when fire broke in the popular Ketu sawmill market. By dawn, no fewer than 200 open shops all loaded with millions of Naira worth of building materials were all destroyed.

The Guardian gathered that the fire, which began around 4am, was not unconnected with electricity surge and sparks from loop of wires around one of the sawmill machines.

 

Meanwhile, tragedy struck at MRS filling station at Lawanson, Lagos around 5:30pm. According to eye witnesses, it was caused by a fuel tanker that arrived the station for delivery. 

When The Guardian visited yesterday, the entire station was burnt with the fire extending to adjoining buildings. Lagos firefighters arrived the scene late and were still battling to put off the fire last night.

In a related development, the Lagos State government has expressed concerns on the incessant fire outbreaks in the state that are often linked to sparks from electricity cables and appliances. The government called on the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to urgently beam its searchlight on the quality of electrical appliances coming into the country.

Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Razak Fadipe, told The Guardian that the fire started around 4am and the firefighters responded swiftly but had difficulties closing in on the fire site.  

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The inferno and the battle to contain it, however, lasted for another five hours before it was put out, The Guardian gathered. Besides the shops, no fewer than two houses and four vehicles were also razed.

The Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Oluseye Oladejo, said investigation revealed that installation of substandard electrical appliances usually trigger fire outbreaks.