A devastating fire swept through the Alaba International Market in Lagos on Tuesday evening, engulfing numerous shops and warehouses and leaving a trail of destruction and significant financial losses for traders.
The inferno triggered scenes of chaos and despair as thick, black smoke filled the sky. A live TikTok broadcast by user KB Clothings showed devastated traders watching in anguish, with some breaking down in tears over their lost merchandise. Others were seen making frantic efforts to retrieve their goods from the advancing flames.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire spread quickly through several locked shops. Some traders expressed frustration, criticizing market security personnel for what they perceived as a slow initial response, which may have allowed the blaze to intensify.
Personnel from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were promptly at the scene, battling to contain the inferno and prevent it from spreading to adjacent sections of the vast market. The cause of the Alaba International Market fire is currently unknown and under investigation.
