As the year draws to a close, Gboyega Alaka reviews the nagging incidents of fire outbreaks in Lagos markets, which observers say have indeed reached an alarming rate.
BUT for mother luck, a large chunk of the popular Balogun Market would have gone up in flames last Tuesday, with goods and properties worth billions of naira destroyed. A large army of traders and property owners would also have been thrown into bleak Christmas mood, as balls of fire broke out in an uncompleted structure, right in the middle of the ever-busy Balogun textiles market on Lagos Island. No one knew exactly the cause of the fire or how it broke out, but everyone, who has a stake in the tightly packed market, has providence to thank for having the fire breakout in a harmless, empty, uncompleted building, thereby giving it less fuel to feed on and ultimately, less power to destroy.
According to Uche, a young man who sells ladies shoes on the side of the street and whose brother owns a huge textile shop not too far from the uncompleted building, the fire broke out early in the morning, raising fears of another inferno akin to the one witnessed two Christmases ago, when firecrackers prompted and stoked a week-long incident. In his words, “The destruction would have been really massive, given that it is the peak of the yuletide celebrations and virtually all the shops and stores are fully stocked with expensive goods.”
To add to the good fortune of the traders, the day was just breaking and the usual milling crowd associated with the market during festive periods had yet to build, giving fire-fighters easy access to quickly move in and extinguish the fire.
Traders in a good number of other markets in Lagos have however have not been so lucky this year and in recent years, as market fires seems to have become an everyday occurrence. From Daleko rice and oil market in Isolo to Ojodu Market, to Awori Plank Market in Abule-Egba, right up to Aguda in Surulere; it has been inferno galore and, a harvest of losses and woes. As at the middle of November, the Lagos State Fire Service announced that there had been at least 45 fire incidents in Lagos markets alone; a development that has raised alarm amongst traders, and indeed the government, who fear the implications of this capital flight to nowhere.
In August, a midnight fire at Ojodu Market, Ojodu, engulfed a large section of the clothes, chicken and jewelry section, leaving millions of naira worth of goods in ruins and roasting alive scores of chicken.
One of the victims, Bose, who sells children clothes and ladies accessories and who said she had only just opened and stocked the shop, lamented her loss of goods worth over five hundred thousand naira. She recalls that “the fire broke out around 8 pm, when everyone had gone home and resting. “I got a call right in bed and I almost passed, out because I had only just acquired and stocked the shop. Even as I speak (four months after), I am only just recovering and trying to put things back in shape.”
Another lady Mrs. Odewole, ushered this reporter into her shop, announcing that she was only just re-opening since the incident occurred in August. She disclosed that she also lost everything in the fire incident, since it occurred late in the night after she had gone home and there was hardly anybody on ground to help salvage any of the goods. “I was sad and terrified when I heard the news. Besides, all we could do was count our losses, as the damage had been done before we could get here.”
“I only just rallied round with help from friends and family.” She volunteered further.
In the same vein, a salesgirl at a live chicken store narrated to this reporter how all the chicken in her boss’ cage were burnt alive, leaving them with chunks of crispy roasted meat.
Curiously, it was nearly impossible to locate the site of the fire incident as at early December, when this reporter visited the market, as the affected traders have rallied round to rebuild the burnt section and get on with their lives. This reporter as a matter of fact had to seek out the shop of the Iya-Loja (Female Market Head) and solicit her help, before he could locate the section.
To the Iya-loja, Alhaja Habibat Adedoja Agboola however, the matter of the burnt market was an old wound she really would not like to reopen. A lot of the people affected, she revealed, were still counting their losses and it was not in her place to bring back an issue they earnestly want to forget.
She revealed that the fire was caused by an electricity power surge and that the fact that it happened after everyone had gone home, gave it the room to do more damage, before help could come from the Fire fighters.
On whether it was as a result of carelessness, Alhaja Agboola, who by the way speaks impeccable English, said “that is hard to say, although it cannot be ruled out.” She also said that the market authority could not have switched off the transformer supplying the market with power, as this would leave the market in total darkness and jeopardise security. She also would not rule out sabotage, except that nothing pointed in that direction, even as at the time of speaking to her.
She said that a team of the Lagos State Fire Service responded promptly, which “was why the fire was limited only to the section where it broke out.”
Responding to why fire outbreaks have suddenly become a regularity in Lagos markets, Alhaja Agboola said “You have to understand that virtually everything that we sell in the markets is dry stuff. Whether you’re talking of clothes, foodstuffs, shoes, plastics, name it; and they will always serve as fuel for raging fire. Just you help us communicate to the power companies that their usual power outages are responsible for the regular fire outbreaks in out market.”
Asked whether the government was responsible for the quick rebuilding of the burnt section of the market, she said “No.” She emphasized that no help whatsoever have come from the government as at the time of speaking.
A worse scenario however unfolded in May at the Daleko rice and vegetable oil market in Isolo, as a fire that broke out late into the night sent night guards scampering in confusion, leaving in ruins 120 shops and endless tales of loss, tears and sorrow. Again, this was a suspected electricity upsurge, although one of the traders, an elderly man, whose rice store got burnt in the inferno, said “there really wasn’t electricity supply at that end of the market.” He said the fire engulfed the back wing of the market, feeding on vegetable oil, jerry cans and bags of rice.
One middle-aged woman who would have preferred that this reporter spoke to the market leader of the vegetable oil seller said she lost stuffs worth several thousands to the fire. She however revealed that help came from the government that assisted them with some amounts of money to mitigate their losses and get back on their feet.
Another elderly man, who lost about a hundred bags of rice and countless number of 50-litre jerry cans of vegetable oil, however said he never got any monetary assistance, even as it was evident that he was a victim, since his shop was on the front row of the burnt section. He wondered why the government assistance did not get to him. He however said he is beginning to find his feet, with help from friends and family. Asked to quantify his loss in definite figures, he simply retorted that “You do the math: calculate about 100 bags of rice at N8,500 each, plus lots of gallons of ororo (vegetable oil).”
Asked why he never thought of insurance, he replied that “We use our sales to replenish our stock, hence there is no left over to invest in insurance.”
Narrating her version of the fire, the Iya-Loja (female head) of the market, Alhaja Rafatu Alalikinba Ajani said the fire broke out in the middle of the night when the Electricity Distribution Company brought back power after an outage. She said “the upsurge sparked a fire and everything exploded.” She however gave kudos to the fire fighters who promptly arrived and ensured that the fire was curtailed and eventually put out.
Rasaq Fadipe, Director, Lagos State Fire Service told reporters that the fire started around 1.00am, while his men got there by 1.50 am. He also said the raging fire was finally extinguished in at about 9.00 am.
Responding to the allegation of selective compensation, the Iya Loja said the exercise was carried out directly by the state government and that it was not as if anyone manipulated it. She also said she could not tell whether or not more help was coming to those who have been left out.
More cases of fire
As if that was not enough for one month, another fire broke out at the plank market in Ebute Meta area of Lagos that same August, destroying lots of building materials and about five buildings.
Another major outbreak in the year would be the Awori Plank Market fire in Abule Egba area of Lagos that took place in September. The fire destroyed building materials worth hundreds of millions of naira, including a Toyota car and a commercial bus parked nearby. Accusing fingers pointed in the direction of plastic recycling shop as the cause of the fire, but the owners of the business refuted the claim, arguing that no one knew the exact source of the fire.
As late as November, it was the turn of Aguda Market in Surulere, where a late night inferno again destroyed valuable goods and properties. Incidentally, the fire broke out almost at the same spot, where over 100 shops had been engulfed in a fierce fire in 2011. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained.
Power upsurges as major cause
Somehow, most of the fire outbreaks were blamed on electricity upsurge, laying the blame at the feet of the power distribution companies. The two market leaders spoken to in the cause of investigating this feature laid the blame at the feet of the power companies, but a couple of other people, who prefer anonymity said carelessness may be a major factor. One of them opined that since most of the market traders are illiterates or semi-literates, one may not entirely rule out the possibility of carelessness or forgetfulness (to put out their electrical appliances) as a major cause.
Experts have also cited the highly unplanned nature of most of the markets as a major ingredient for fire. They also say this can create unnecessary blockade to fire fighters in case of a fire situation. Aside that, they say such situation gives room to haphazard electrification pattern that can only be an invitation in waiting to fire incidents.
Rasaq Fadipe of the Lagos fire service has on several occasions implored the traders to desist from patronising roadside electricians, who may not be competent at some of the task they give to them. He noted that on several occasions, multiple connections, done loosely by these roadside technicians result in rowdy and clumsy cable situation, which in itself is an open invitation to fire outbreaks.
The Lagos Fire Service director has also on several occasions of fire accidents implored Nigerians to overhaul electrical appliances in their homes and offices, while also advising them to always put off all electrical appliances before going out or at the end of the day’s work.
He has also advised traders to come together and own a major generator or plant supplying them electricity in case of a power outage, as against the current situation where virtually everyone owns a generator and by implication, different sources of petrol supply.
He said that people should avail themselves the opportunity provided by government by promptly calling the free emergency numbers 707 or 112 immediately fire breaks out, as this will enhance quicker response and save valuable properties and lives.
Lagos government to the rescue
The Lagos State Government recently took delivery of 32 American fire-fighting vehicles, as part of its commitment to fighting emergency fire situations across the mega-city. The vehicles, manufactured by W.S. Darley & Co. Illinois were procured with a $15.7 direct loan from the Import-Export Bank of the United States and will complement the equipment the state already has on ground.
Speaking at the handing-over of the vehicles to the Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola said the undertaking was part of his government’s effort to further mitigate the huge losses arising from fire outbreaks across the state. He also announced his government’s plan to establish a fire academy, where fire service men and youths interested in the profession will be trained and equipped for the job.
He said it became imperative for the government to take proactive actions, seeing the increasing spate of fire incidents in the state that is home to 21 million people. He revealed that the state’s fire service responded to 363 fire incidents in just the first quarter of the year 2014 alone. He also said the fact that insurance companies paid a total of N23.5 billion to flood and fire claims in some parts of the country is a major wake-up call, for which the state cannot afford to ignore.
The new fire trucks come with fitted storage tanks for water, foam and compressed air. They are also to make use of the latest auto Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), designed to reduce the volume of water needed to fight fire.
The arrangement also comes with maintenance and comprehensive training of the state’s firemen.
To further underline the state’s readiness to combat fire accidents, the governor announced that there are 570 young men and women emergency fire responders spread across the state, with at least 10 of them in every local government. He thus appealed to citizens to always grant them easy access, adding that “if we block access to where the fire is, we get in the way of their jobs.”
