Emergency responders were continuing to remove debris two days after a massive fire razed Emab Plaza, a four-storey commercial complex located at the back of the Mandilas Building on Lagos Island.
The fire, which broke out late Tuesday night, came within hours of another similar event in Afriland Towers, stoking renewed fears about the upsurge of fire outbreaks in the city’s commercial hub.
Reports indicate that the fire began around 9:23 p.m. on the fourth floor of Emab Plaza before spreading to three neighboring buildings. Eyewitnesses indicated that the top floors were wrapped in dense smoke as residents and businessmen sounded an alarm.
Ebute Elefun and Oniru firefighters of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were dispatched to the scene. At 10 p.m., Deputy Controller-General Olajide Ogabi had confirmed that firefighting and rescue operations were underway. He added that what ignited the fire was still yet to be determined.
Though worst of the fire was ultimately contained, flames had already spread to sections of nearby buildings, potentially causing more economic loss in the area. Debris was still being cleared by emergency responders Thursday afternoon, and damage assessments were underway. No official casualty figures had been given.
The Emab Plaza fire occurred on the same day a tragic Afriland Towers fire claimed lives and gutted offices. This comes a few months after a January fire at Mandilas Market gutted more than 450 shops, 30 offices, two hotels, and five restaurants, leaving thousands of traders homeless and causing multi-billion-naira losses.
