A massive fire erupted in the early hours of Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Lagos’s Ladipo and Owode Onirin markets, leaving extensive destruction and losses amounting to millions of naira.
The blaze, which ignited around 1 a.m., engulfed multiple shops and warehouses at Ladipo Market in Mushin, where traders stockpile vehicle spare parts, mechanical tools, motorcycles, and electrical appliances.
Simultaneously, Owode Onirin Market along Ikorodu Road suffered a similar fate, as shops dealing in metallic materials were consumed by the raging flames.
Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the incidents and detailed the emergency response.
She stated that firefighters from Isolo, Bolade, and Alausa Fire Stations were swiftly deployed to battle the inferno at Ladipo Market. However, accessing the affected areas posed significant challenges.
Despite these obstacles, Adeseye said, “Emergency teams from Isolo, Bolade, and Alausa Fire Stations were deployed to battle the flames. Despite challenges in accessing the affected areas, our firefighters managed to contain the fire and prevent further spread.”
Meanwhile, at Owode Onirin Market, firefighters from Alausa and Ikorodu Fire Stations responded promptly, managing to bring the situation under control by 5 a.m. Adeseye reassured the public that no casualties had been recorded in either market.
“Thankfully, no casualties were recorded in either incident. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fires,” she stated.
Eyewitnesses at Ladipo Market recounted how the flames spread rapidly, giving traders little time to salvage their goods. One distraught shop owner lamented the devastating losses, saying, “I lost everything in my shop. My entire livelihood is gone. I don’t even know where to start.”
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has launched an investigation into the causes of both fires. Adeseye emphasized that authorities would work to establish the source of the infernos as emergency teams moved into the damping-down phase.
