Traders count losses as fire guts warehouse at Ladipo auto spare parts market

It was a traumatic experience for traders at the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market, Mushin, Lagos, yesterday, as they counted their losses following an early morning fire that engulfed Warehouse A.

The Guardian learnt that the inferno, which started a few minutes after midnight, resulted in losses estimated at billions of naira.

The affected warehouse housed traders dealing in cars, auto spare parts, fridges, washing machines, mattresses, kitchen appliances, bicycles, imported wines, rugs, sound systems, televisions, and other goods.

The Isolo, Bolade, and Alausa fire crews of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service contained the fire, preventing it from spreading beyond the warehouse.

However, while traders lamented their losses, scavengers stormed the scene in large numbers, causing additional chaos. Their presence soon led to a scuffle with the traders.

One of the affected traders, Femi Awiffo, said he lost over N30 million in the fire, adding that he could not salvage anything from the warehouse. “I have a machine that costs N10 million, and I am just counting my losses. All the bicycles, shoes, and other items are gone. I am confused, and I don’t know what to do next,” he said.

Another trader, Maureen Ejiofor, described the incident as a collective family loss, as her goods and those of her husband and son were destroyed in the blaze. “I thank God for life, but everything got burnt in the fire. I have a portion in the warehouse, and both my son and husband lost everything,” she said.

Speaking on the incident, President-General of Ladipo International Market, Lagos, Prince Africanus Ogudoro, said: “I was at home at night when I received a report from our Task Force chairman that Warehouse A of Ladipo was on fire, and we immediately rushed out.

“Though the fire service department responded, and we appreciate their efforts, goods worth billions of naira were destroyed.”

When asked why the traders had not insured their goods, Ogudoro said: “Insurance in Nigeria is a legitimate fraud; it doesn’t work. The system is so flawed that insurance does not cover losses, and it shouldn’t be so.”

On what the market leadership would do to assist the traders, he said: “We cannot do much, but we will partner with the government and see if it is willing to help.”

A similar incident occurred at the Owode Onirin Market on Ikorodu Road, where fire destroyed several shops belonging to traders dealing in metallic materials.

It took the combined efforts of the Alausa and Ikorodu fire stations of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) to bring the fire under control.

Although no casualties were recorded in either incident, preliminary investigations attributed the cause of the Ladipo fire to a power surge, while the cause of the Owode fire was yet to be determined at press time.

Reacting to the Ladipo incident in a statement yesterday, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency activated its emergency response plans following distress calls received at about 12:09 a.m.

According to him, the LASEMA Eagle Response Team arrived at the scene at 12:16 a.m. and discovered a warehouse surrounded by shops engulfed in flames at the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market. He confirmed that the fire was caused by an electrical power surge following the restoration of public electricity supply to the area.

Oke-Osanyintolu stated that the fire affected various sections of the warehouse, including electronics, generators, bicycles, auto spare parts, furniture, phones, home appliances, and powerbikes. He noted that valuable goods worth a fortune were destroyed in the blaze.

He added that a “dampening down” process was successfully completed, and an enumeration exercise was concluded, with no loss of life reported.

“A comprehensive damage assessment was conducted by LASEMA’s Eagle Response Team, firefighters, and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS). Occupants of the warehouse were sensitised on the urgent need to implement identified safety measures to prevent a recurrence in the future,” he said.