Fire guts Ladipo market, Lagos, destroys over 50 shops

An early morning fire razed no fewer than 50 shops at the Ladipo spare parts market in the Mushin area of Lagos State, consuming goods estimated at over a billion naira.

Although there are different accounts of what caused the fire, it was learnt that it started around 3am on Wednesday.

While some residents said the fire was caused by an electrical spark from high-tension wires near the shops, others said it began from a food seller’s shop who was preparing food at the time.

However, it was gathered that a jerrycan of fuel stored in one of the shops aggravated the inferno.

A trader, Innocent Ogunna, who attributed the fire to an electrical spark, said cash sums were also destroyed.

He said,
“There was a big spark from the high-tension cables which ignited a fire in the shops. That was how the fire started spreading and it then came in contact with petrol.

“People living on the street were the first to see it and they started calling us. Some of us, who kept money in our shops, couldn’t get anything back.”

A dealer in shock absorbers and headlights, Mr. Sunday Ani, explained that he was asleep with his family when he was called.

The father of three said he had only stocked his store with new goods on Tuesday.

He said,
“The whole thing happened suddenly. As of yesterday (Tuesday), I bought new goods and I didn’t even estimate the value because I planned to do that today (Wednesday).

“I got here to discover that everything had been burnt. This is a terrible situation for me.”

 Emmanuel Obi, another trader, said he was called around 3am when the fire started.

 Obi, who had been trading in the market for more than nine years, said although he got to the scene shortly after he was called, he could only watch helplessly as his goods were razed by the fire.

“I lost goods of over a million naira. I could not get anything out except scraps,” he added.

Another trader, IK Obinna, who claimed to have been working in Ladipo market for over six years, said he had informed his master about the damage, adding that they had surrendered to fate.


The Chairman of the Ladipo-Osoro Traders Union, Felix Okoro, commended the Lagos State Fire Service for controlling the fire.

Okoro said it might take some time for the market to get back to its feet as goods lost were valued at over a billion naira.

He said,
“More than 50 shops were affected. And in these shops, we deal in brand new spare parts, many of which come in cartons. We lost goods valued at over a billion naira. We are devastated by this. If not for the fire service, who responded promptly, the damage could have been more.”

 He appealed to the government to come to the aid of the affected traders to enable them get back to business.

The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, in an SMS, confirmed the incident, saying three fire trucks were deployed to the scene by the agency.