goods worth millions destroyed as fire guts building in Computer Village
A major fire outbreak in Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos State has left traders and business owners counting heavy losses after a commercial building was gutted in the early hours of Tuesday, destroying goods worth millions of naira. The blaze occurred on Somoye Osundairo Street, one of the busiest streets in West Africa’s largest technology market, where computers, accessories and other electronic products are stored and sold. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the incident was reported around 1:55 a.m., prompting an immediate activation of the state’s emergency response plan from its command centre in Alausa. Responders from multiple agencies, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Ambulance Service, arrived at the scene shortly after and encountered intense flames and thick smoke, a sign of aggressive combustion within the structure. The upper floor of the one-storey building was completely razed by the fire, with all goods and properties inside destroyed. The high volume of combustible materials, such as computers and accessories, contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, officials said. No fatalities were recorded in the incident, but one firefighter sustained minor injuries and received on-site treatment. Emergency teams cordoned off the area and implemented safety measures to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings in the congested market district. While firefighting operations successfully contained the inferno, LASEMA confirmed that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. Preliminary assessments also revealed that the structural integrity of the building may have been compromised by the heat and fire damage, prompting calls for urgent evaluation. Traders and stakeholders are now assessing the full extent of their losses as the market community debates fire safety measures and calls for improved storage practices to prevent future disasters in the densely packed commercial hub.
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