The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the day, drew large crowds as traders and residents struggled to salvage properties from the affected sections of the popular market.
Eyewitnesses said the fire spread rapidly before emergency responders arrived at the scene. Some traders lamented what they described as a delayed response from firefighters, claiming the situation could have been brought under control earlier.
“We tried our best to stop the fire before it got worse, but the firefighters came late,” one trader said while assessing the damage.
Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service later arrived to battle the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the market.
The exact cause of the fire had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report, although preliminary accounts pointed to a possible electrical fault.
No fatalities were immediately reported, but several traders sustained minor injuries during attempts to rescue goods and evacuate shops.
Authorities are expected to launch an investigation into the incident, while affected traders continue to count their losses.
Alert Global