The Mile 12 Lagos market fire kills Three, destroys 22 shops and 5 vehicles

No fewer than two people have been confirmed dead and property worth millions of naira lost after an early morning fire gutted Mile 12 Market in the Kosofe area of Lagos.

Our correspondent was told that the fire started at 4:45am on Friday.
Although the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained as of press time, it was learnt that no fewer than 20 shops were consumed by the inferno.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, however, told our correspondent that preliminary investigation revealed that petrol and diesel were stored in the shops.
He added that four vehicles, five motorcycles and two trucks were also destroyed.
He said, “Fire outbreak occurred around 4:45am at Mile 12 Market . About 20 shops were completely burnt down, five motorbikes, one car, three buses and two trucks were also burnt.
“We recovered two dead male bodies from the shops.”
The LASEMA boss said the fire was put out at 8.40am, while recovery operation was ongoing.
Our correspondent was told that policemen and officials of the Lagos State Fire Service and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were also at the scene of the incident.

Another version

Three bodies were recovered after 22 shops and five vehicles were razed, Friday, when a section of the popular Mile 12 market in Kosofe local government, Lagos State was razed.

Although the cause of the incident remains unknown but eye witnesses’ account said the inferno which started around 4.30am may have been ignited by the illegal petroleum business which the section is associated with.

According to eye witnesses’ account, the burnt vehicles were some of the trucks used in transacting the illegal business while the bodies were some of the suspected dealers of the business before the disaster was recorded.

An eye witness Mr Innocent Alabari said one of the shops was as at 2am, been delivered of a new stock unsuspecting that the fire will strike.