Goods worth millions of Naira have been lost due to an inferno that razed 94 shops at the Tejuoso main plaza yesterday morning. The fire affected mainly the shops that were located opposite the Presbyterian Church.
The fire is suspected to have started from one of the shops storing wears, shoes and bags and spread to the others due to the presence of highly inflammable materials such as cloths, nylon and in some cases, generators loaded with fuel.
Those present alerted the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency’s (LASEMA) Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Lagos State Fire Service from Ilupeju and Alausa Fire Station, who arrived and did their best to contain the fire, while having to cut open iron bars to gain access and curb escalation of the fire, although they were accused of arriving late.
LASEMA General Manager, Mr Tiamiyu, confirmed that although several goods were burned down, no life was lost. Guardian Newspaper reports that some of the affected traders who remained anonymous complained that it was a ploy by the government to force them to rent shops in the new Ultra Modern Market, whose prices are far higher.
The prices of the shops at the Ultra-modern market has always been a sore spot between traders and the government as many complained that it hurt their business. “Tejuosho market was a middle-class conventional market where commodities were sold at a cut-price. The hike in price of stalls after the market was reconstructed has left operators who earn relatively low-income criticising the state government for its involvement of the private sector into the reconstruction of the market.” a trader was quoted as saying.