Fresh facts as to the cause of Friday inferno that destroyed goods worth millions of Naira the popular Mile 12 market, Lagos on Friday have started emerging as illegal oil bunkering is remains a major culprit.
Indication to this effect emerge when the Director, Lagos Fire Service Rasak Fadipe said illegal oil bunkering activities in the market may have sparked off the fire which led to the death of about four people
The fire also consumed 5 vehicles, 5 motor bikes and 20 shops containing goods worth millions of naira when the fire raced through the market around 4:42 a.m. with balls of fire ascending into the air disrupting the peace of residents.
He said three tanks were discovered in the market, saying that the fire started from the place they were selling fuel.
Also, the General Manager, LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed that two dead bodies were brought out of the ruins of the market, saying five motor bikes were also burnt.
He added that six vehicles, including one car, three buses and two trucks were burnt in the inferno, adding that 20 shops were also consumed by the fire.
He said some unscrupulous persons were selling petrol and diesel in a shop in the market, saying that the fire was put out at about 8:40am.
Said he, “the fire started at about 4:42am, it occurred at the oil and fuel section, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The inferno was however put out around 8:40 a.m. after raging for about four hours.
“LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Service and other emergency responders are on ground to salvage the situation. Five motor bikes, one car, three buses, two trucks and two burnt dead bodies, 20 shops were affected. Recovery operation is still in progress,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
It was gathered that some people who engaged in selling fuel and diesel in one of the shops in the market, may have caused the inferno as the fire allegedly started from that section.
Traders had watched helplessly as their goods and shops worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Some of the traders at the market revealed that two persons out of the injured people that were sleeping inside the market died while receiving treatment at a nearby private hospital as the degree of the burns suffered was too much.