Fire destroys GTBank office, shops at Ladipo Market, Lagos

Ladipo fire for Prime Business Africa

A Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) office, and a building housing several shops and apartments within the popular Ladipo Market in Lagos, were today Wednesday, July 7, destroyed by fire.

The fire outbreak was said to have begun in the early hours of the morning. Persons that spoke to Prime Business Africa said that an early responder brought in to put out the fire almost lost his life. The fire was put out through the combined effort of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Police, and the Fire Service attached to the Isolo area.

Eyewitness account said owners of the affected shops traded products such as engine oil, paints, car AC and several other vehicle accessories. While the cause remains unclear, witnesses said some of the products stored in the shops may have inflamed the fire.

Cans of engine oil litter the scene of the fire outbreak. PHOTO: Kayode Shopekan/Prime Business Africa

Engine oil and other products salvaged from the fire. PHOTO: Kayode Shopekan/Prime Business Africa.

Recall that in May 2021 there was a fire outbreak at the Alapeju section of the market, which was eventually put under control by the intervention of LASEMA.

In a chat with our reporter, the Acting Zonal Coordinator for NEMA, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, informed Prime Business Africa that GTBank had evacuated the money in its vault at the branch. However, as of the time of filing this report, it is yet to be ascertained the level of damage caused by the fire.

A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the fire incident. PHOTO: Kayode Shopekan/Prime Business Africa.

Kayode Shopekan