Millions Of Naira Lost, As Fire Guts Building At Ikeja  Computer Village

By Akinwale Kasali

Traders at the popular Computer Village Market, Ikeja, Lagos State, are counting their losses following a Fire Outbreak that gutted some sections of the market on Tuesday.

The one-storey commercial building housing Computer and Accessories dealers on Somoye Osundairo Street, Computer Village, was gutted by fire, with properties and goods worth Millions of Naira destroyed.

It was gathered from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, that the incident was reported at about 1:55 a.m. through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines, prompting the immediate activation of the state’s emergency response plan from its Command and Control Centre in Alausa.

According to the agency, its response team arrived at the scene around 2:15 a.m. and found the building engulfed in flames, with dense smoke indicating intense combustion within the structure.

Olufemi Oke-a Osanyintolu, LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary stated in a Preliminary Incident Report that the building was primarily used for the storage and sale of computers and accessories, adding that the high volume of combustible materials contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

The statement reads, “Upon arrival of the LASEMA Response Team at the incident scene, it was observed that a fire outbreak had occurred in a one-storey commercial building accommodating dealers in computers and accessories in Computer Village, Ikeja.

“Responders observed active flames and dense smoke, indicating intense combustion within the structure. The high volume of combustible materials contributed to the rapid spread of fire,” the statement read.

Though LASEMA is yet to ascertain why, LASEMA also  said the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained the cause of the Fire outbreak, but investigation is still ongoing.

As regards casualties recorded at the scene of the inferno, the agency confirmed that no fatalities were recorded, although one Lagos State firefighter sustained minor injuries during the operation and received first aid treatment on site from the Lagos State Ambulance Service.

“No fatalities were recorded. One Lagos State firefighter sustained minor injuries during the operation and was administered first aid treatment on site,” the statement said.

The agency noted that the entire upper floor of the building was completely razed by the fire, with all goods and properties stored there destroyed, while the structure had been partially compromised and would require immediate assessment.

“All goods and properties worth millions of naira stored therein were totally destroyed by the conflagration,” LASEMA stated.

It explained that its response team conducted a risk assessment, cordoned off the affected area and coordinated a multi-agency response involving the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS and the Nigeria Police Force to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings.

“Fire-fighting operations have successfully suppressed and contained the fire within the affected building, preventing escalation to neighbouring structures,” the agency said, adding that damping-down operations were ongoing to prevent re-ignition.