Lagos (WorldStage Newsonline)-- Properties and cash worth millions of naira were on Friday night lost to a fire outbreak that ravaged a chain of lock-up shops in Dalemo area of Alakuko, Ifako/Ijaye Local government area of Lagos.
An eye witness said fire broke out when electricity was restored to the area at about 11: 16 pm, as an electric cable snapped and fell on the roof of a shop, which later spread to other shops in the line.
The fire caused great damage to the shops as goods such as handsets, wrist watches , wall clocks, television sets, refrigerators, hair dryers, cartons of assorted beer and soft drinks were destroyed.
But spirited efforts of the residents in the neighborhood which include, Adenekan, Abiola, and other adjoining streets were able to put the fire under control and prevented it from spreading to main buildings and a cash office of a commercial bank located in the area.
When the men of Lagos state Fire services later arrived at the scene, they were able to take over from the sympathizers who used buckets and other simple household equipment to subdue the fire.
One of the victims of the fire, who said she lost over N50,000 in cash to the inferno, explained that she had collected a contribution of N150,000 in the afternoon and spent N100,000 out of it to stock her shop with goods, while the balance of N50,000 left in the shop was consumed by the night fire.
Another victim, simply referred to Baba Alaogo, an horologist, could not immediately quantify his loss in terms of naira and kobo.
The horologist who repairs notable brands of manual watches, said many expensive watches and wall clocks were in the shop after closed for the day. All which had been consumed by the fire outbreak
Another victim, Samson, whose shop the snapped cabled first landed, said, “I don’t know where I would start from.”
His shop noted for stocking old and new editions of home videos, musical cassettes, discs and telegrams had been reduced to ashes and coals.
Some of the victims and sympathizers were at the scene on Saturday morning scavenging for whatever they could retrieve.
