Traders Wail as Fire Guts Amu Timber Market in Lagos

By Dipo Olowookere

The popular Amu Timber Market in the Mushin area of Lagos State has been gutted by fire and this unfortunate incident has left owners of shops at the market to wail in anger.

The inferno occurred in the wee hours of Saturday, destroying properties worth millions of Naira. Over five hours after the fire started, it was still burning woods being sold at the market.

It was gathered that officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, who rushed to the scene to bring the situation under control, soon ran out of water as the inferno expanded, fuelled by the harmattan season.

According to reports, the fire started at about 1:20am and those living around the market quickly put distress calls through to the nearby Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) who acted promptly.

It was gathered that the fire was triggered by an electrical surge and what started like a spark soon razed through most part of the market, bringing down shops and destroying goods and properties.

As at the time of filing this report, no life was lost to the inferno, while security officials are at the scene to prevent any looting and breakdown of law and order by hoodlums.

Also, fire fighters and officials of LASEMA are on ground to totally bring down the fire as some traders are beginning to troop in, calling on the state government to assist them in rebuilding the market.

The Amu Timber Market in Mushin is traditionally known in the metropolis as a place to purchase genuine building materials. People from different parts of the country visit the market to buy various materials.

This is not the first time in recent times popular markets in the South Western part of the country has been gutted by fire. In the first week of 2020, the famous Abesan Market in Oyo State was razed by inferno.