Balogun Market Fire: Sanwoolu Visits Scene As Emergency Operation Continues

Twenty four hours after fire erupted in a section of Balogun Market, Lagos Island, emergency management officials are still at the scene as smoke is still billowing from one of the buildings.

Heavy duty cranes and equipment are seen spraying water into the areas where smoke is being detected.

Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has also visited the scene and directed that integrity test be carried out on all the buildings affected by the fire.

The governor said although the cause of the fire yet to be ascertained everyone at the scene needs to be careful because the scene is still a ‘live site.’

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He advised traders and everyone at the scene to allow rescue operators work without hindrance.

“We all need to be very careful, people should move away and allow emergency operators do their work. The buildings are clustered together so we need to conduct integrity tests on the buildings,”  the governor said.

The fire which started on Tuesday morning has, however, led to the death of a police officer who was on duty at the scene. The officer died late last night after a section of the burnt building caved in during rescue operation.

Traders in the market are, however, counting their losses as they say goods worth several millions of naira were destroyed.

The buildings affected by the fire is a high-rise building with huge commercial activity. Rescue operation is still ongoing as at the time of this report.