Lagos Fire Service Blames Alaba Market Fire On Negligence
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that a power surge has been identified as the cause of the fire that razed part of the Alaba International Market in Lagos on Tuesday evening.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the incident, noting that no casualties or injuries were recorded.
In a statement issued on October 22, 2025, by the agency’s Senior Public Affairs Officer, Maria Fadairo, the fire service said it received a distress call at 7:18 p.m. about a fire outbreak at 155 Olojo Drive, opposite Tantalizers, within the Alaba International Market, located in the Ojo Local Government Area.
Upon receiving the alert, emergency teams from the Ojo and Ijegun-Egba fire stations were immediately dispatched to the scene.
According to the statement, the fire affected multiple lock-up shops within a two-storey building measuring approximately 648 square meters, situated inside a larger market complex spanning about five hectares.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from the topmost floor of the building shortly after electricity was restored, due to negligence on the part of some shop owners,” the statement read in part.
The fire service said access to the affected area was hindered as most shops had closed for the day, requiring responders to force entry, which delayed firefighting efforts and contributed to the fire’s spread. However, the flames were successfully contained to the top floor of the building.
Shops affected were primarily involved in the sale of furniture items, alternative power equipment, and also included a law office.
The firefighting operation was brought under control by 10:10 p.m., with support from the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and the Ojo Police Division.
The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, commended the coordinated efforts of all responding agencies and urged the public to strictly adhere to fire safety protocols, especially in commercial areas, to prevent future incidents.
Videos obtained by Channels Television showed multiple plazas near the Ojo Local Government Secretariat engulfed in flames, with fire officials actively working to douse the blaze.
The Alaba International Market, located along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway, is one of West Africa’s largest commercial hubs, known for the sale of electronics, furniture, household items, and building materials.
This incident comes one month after a separate fire at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, which claimed at least 10 lives.
