Residents of Oko-Baba sawmill in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State have continued to count their losses after fire gutted no fewer than 200 buildings and displaced about 500 residents on Tuesday.
A resident of Oko-Baba sawmill, Aina Farouk, told our correspondent the fire began around 5pm, lamenting that she lost everything.
She said , “It was around 5pm that the fire started from one of the brothels in the community. According to punchng, A woman was frying something on the gas cooker but left it and went inside. Some of the oil spilled on the generator which caught fire and exploded.”
She added that efforts by residents to put out the fire were abortive, adding that the lack of water also compounded the problem.
Another resident, Olamilekan Odeyemi, explained that those mainly affected were the sawmill operators and traders, whose sources of income were destroyed.
The Islamic leader of the area, Hassan Taiwo, said it was the second time he would suffer such a heavy loss.
He said, “There have been fire incidents about four times in this sawmill. This is the second time my belongings would be affected. All mosque equipment, furniture, clothes and electronic gadgets were destroyed.”
Taiwo said he would have relocated from the area, but for lack of money.
A community leader and convener, Rural and Urban Development Initiative, Musbau Agbodemu, appealed to the state government to assist the residents get back on their feet.
Our correspondent, who also visited the Prince Ebeano Supermarket on Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, which was gutted by fire, learnt that three workers sustained burns. Goods estimated at millions of naira were lost in the inferno that ravaged the complex, also on Tuesday.
However, the management of the company shut its gate against people and would not speak with the press.
But PUNCH Metro gathered that the fire started behind the supermarket, where there was a bakery.
A source said, “There was an electrical spark around 5pm from the bakery section and before anyone knew what was happening, it had got to the generator section and the fire began to spread from there.
“There was confusion everywhere as people in the supermarket were asked to evacuate the place. The fire burnt the cosmetics, bookshop, toiletries and foodstuffs sections of the supermarket.”
A worker with the supermarket told our correspondent that the safe was not affected.
He said, “When the fire started, the workers swiftly moved to the counter where we kept money and pulled out the safe. It was taken to the bank for custody.”
The Head of Operations, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Femi Giwa, said the agency responded to the emergencies, adding that nobody was injured in both incidents.
