Fire outbreak has become a recurring incident in Lagos with some of the incidents recording colossal damages and in some cases, loss of lives.
A fire outbreak that occurred at Bariga Market in Bariga Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, has destroyed no fewer than 26 Shops.
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the fire outbreak occurred at 0405hrs of Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
In a statement signed by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA said upon receiving a distress alert on the incident, it activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from its Onipanu Base, Onipanu.
LASEMA stated, “Upon arrival at 0425 hours at the incident scene, it was observed that some key-clamp shops at Bariga market were engulfed by fire.”
The agency said the cause of the fire has not been ascertained, noting that further information received at the incident scene revealed that the fire started from one of the shops and quickly spread to other shops because the key-klamp shops were supported and partitioned by wooden frameworks.
LASEMA said that the fire was extinguished through collaborative efforts of emergency responders, and the fire was quickly contained and prevented from spreading to other parts of the market.
According to LASEMA, “The fire affected twenty-six (26) key-clamp shops within the market with properties worth millions of naira lost to the fire.”
Fire outbreak has become a recurring incident in Lagos with some of the incidents recording colossal damages and in some cases, loss of lives.
In late 2024, a fire at a spare-parts market in Lagos was reported to have destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
Media reports indicated that in 2024 alone, 17 markets across Lagos experienced fire outbreaks.
Media reports indicated that many of these markets are composed of closely built stalls, wooden partitions, and poor spacing, all of which make fire spread easier.
In February 2025, Ladipo Market in Mushin and Owode Onirin Market experienced fire outbreaks which the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) attributed to negligence, particularly during electrical surges and restoration of power.
In the Ladipo warehouse fire, the blaze was reportedly triggered by an electrical power surge when electricity was restored, affecting various sections (electronics, spare parts, household appliances).
The Owode Onirin fire also involved shops selling metallic goods and mechanical items.
Just weeks before the Bariga Market fire, Lagos saw twin fire incidents on Lagos Island: one at Central Plaza/Mandilas Market and the other at Afriland Towers.
The Mandilas fire destroyed many shops and caused huge financial losses.
The Afriland Towers fire was especially tragic with about 10 people reported dead in the blaze.
The proximity in timing and location of these two fires – Mandilas and Afriland raised concerns about possible correlated causes or vulnerabilities in urban fire safety infrastructure.
Leave a Reply