In a statement, Adeseye said the Ajegunle fire station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service was the first to respond to the fire alert, which was received at around 03:28 on Wednesday. The statement added that upon arrival, the fire crews found rows of shops that traded in auto spare parts were well alight, which led to Sari-Iganmu and Ilupeju fire crews joining up to subdue the raging fire and salvage a nearby major market petroleum filling station with a fully loaded 33,000-litre PMS tanker amongst other adjoining buildings.
The statement said a man was recovered by the Tolu Police Division around the scene, including the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps and the Red Cross. However, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Lagos State government has been urging residents to be safety conscious, especially during the harmattan season, which is known for its dryness and usually leads to fire outbreaks. Last year, at least 10 people died in a fire that broke out at a popular Lagos market.