•Entrance of Arena market
Goods worth millions of Naira were destroyed on Monday night when a fire broke out at the popular Arena Market in Oshodi, Lagos.
The incident, which began around 9 pm, ravaged several stalls stocked with electronics and other items, reports Nigeran Tribune.
Despite the prompt response of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, many traders were left counting heavy losses.
Eyewitnesses said the blaze started suddenly and spread quickly, consuming multiple shops before it was brought under control.
One of the affected traders, Henry Nwankwo, who sells washing machines and spare parts, said the damage to his business was total.
“All my goods were burned to ashes. I also had customers’ items for repairs, and those were destroyed too,” he told our correspondent.
Mr Nwankwo explained that he had recently returned from China after importing new washing machine spare parts, which were also lost in the fire.
He added that four to five other shops were affected, including his neighbour’s solar panel store, where most goods were also destroyed.
While the cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed, witnesses suggested it may have been triggered by an electrical fault from a nearby transformer or an unattended heat source.
Another bystander commended the efforts of the firefighters, saying, “By 10 pm, the fire service was here with two trucks. They positioned them strategically and attacked the fire from different directions, which helped bring it under control.”
