‘I be 70-year-old, dis na my only source of livelihood, wia I wan start from at my age’ – victim of Lagos fire recount loss

Nearly one week afta fire burn down Dosunmu market for Idumota, one popular market for Nigeria biggest commercial city, Lagos state, affected victims still dey count dia loss.

Goods and property wey worth billions of naira of burn for di fire.

Di fire outbreak happun on 9 April and visit to di scene of di incident days afta show say afta effort of emergency responders to quench di fire, small-small fire still dey burn from under di rubbles.

Di Lagos State Emergency Management (Lasema) confam say nobody die or injure for di fire but one woman faint for di scene of di incident sake of di smoke.

Di fire na one of di worst wey don happun since fire outbreaks don dey happun for di market.

How di Dosumu market fire start

Eyewitnesses tok say di fire start around 10am from one two-storey building bifor e begin spread to oda structures.

According to eye-witness accounts, dem allege say one man bin dey pour fuel for inside generator wey still dey on wen di fire start.

However, Lasema for statement tok say na around 11am dem receive distress call about di fire outbreak, and for now dem no fit tok di cause of di fire but investigation dey ongoing.

According to di emergency agency, na 16 buildings di fire affect, six bin collapse by themselves sake of di impact of di fire.

Dem add say dem go pull down buildings wey don weak.

Billions of naira destroy for di fire – Traders recount dia loss

Some of di traders wey loss dia goods for di fire no even dey as di fire happun as di day na public holiday wey goment declare to observe di end of Muslim fasting.

Na through phone calls, pictures and videos some of dem take see wetin remain of dia stores and warehouse.

“I still dey in shock.” Oga Joseph Oguagu wey dey sell glue, gums plus oda different products tok. E explain say di day start like normal day, im just go im warehouse wey dey opposite im shop to remove some goods wen di fire start and between few minutes everything don burn to di ground.

“I be 70-year-old, I get four-storey building for di market wia I take rent and wia me sef take dey sell. Di building na family house, wey I and my siblings inherit from our father, wia I wan start from at my age, wetin me sef wan leave for my children,” Princess Oluwatoyin Dosumu cry as she dey tok.

Ms Adebiyi Ranmilekun wey just offload truck of goods wey worth ova N500,000,000 a day before di fire outbreak tok say 25 years of investment just go down in flames.

“I don dey do dis business for 25 years. Dis na di only thing wey I sabi do. All my money, investment, don go.”

For most of di traders, dem still dey in state of disbelief. E still be like dream for dem. Dem tok say dem no know how to move on or wetin to do next as di business na dia only source of livelihood wey dem take dey take care of family and hold body and soul togeda.

Dem appeal to di goment to come to dia aid and help dem.

Lagos state govnor order closure of di market

Lagos state govnor Babajide Sanwo-Olu visit di scene of di fire outbreak di third day afta di incident happun.

E express disappointment on how pipo take convert residential buildings to place dem dey store dangerous materials. E say na dis practice contribute to why di fire quickly spread and e must end.

Oga Sanwo-Olu say goment don start full investigation to sabi wetin cause di fire and add add say dem go demolish all di buildings wey no get approval.

“For our meeting wit victims and stakeholders, we bin discuss both immediate and long term support measures. Integrity test on standing structures now dey compulsory, and Dosumu market go remain close until we fir ensure di safety pf all structures and compliance wit regulations.”

Di govnor add say dem go demolish all unapproved buildings and go explore ways to assist pipo wey loss goods for di fire.

Fire incidents for Lagos market no dey new

Fire outbreaks for market no be new thing for Lagos markets, particularly for Idumota market.

Just dis year alone, some parts of di market don burn. For 21 January, popular 10-storey Mandilas building, wey house plenty shops and goods worth millions of naira burn.

For March, some stores for Eko Idumota also catch fire. Di fire bin affect three buildings, wey include two two-storey structures and one three-storey building for di market wey dey popular for clothes, bags and shoes.

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