LAGOS – Pandemonium broke out in Lagos on September 4, 2015 as several persons were reportedly feared dead and others seriously injured as well as goods worth billions of naira lost, following a six-story plaza that was engulfed by fire in the heart of the popular Balogun market in the state.
The plaza is surrounded by several important businesses, including Union Bank, Diamond Bank and the United Bank for Africa.
According to sources at the scene, the plaza which is directly beside and attached to the Union Bank building was being used as a wholesale and retail outlet for shoes and bags businesses.
Some shop owners, especially Chukwudi Nonso, Peter Eze, Ifeanyi Nwankwo, Ogbeide Bright and Josephine Michael were seen weeping and wailing uncontrollably as the building was raized to rumbles, leading to loss of goods worth billions of naira.
Bright who was seen pamplexed over the incident was reported to have lost virtually all he had in life and seemed to be hopeless as he recently invested huge sum of amount in his business before the fire disaster occurred.
Sources further confirmed that the fire started at about 9:00 am, adding that it took the intervention of a combined team of Fire services from the Union Bank and United Bank to battle the fire inferno before the arrival of the Lagos state fire service.
Other witnesses account lamented how shop owners were seen jumping out from various floors of the six-story building leading to many sustaining degrees of injuries.
