Goods estimated at several millions of naira were, on Monday, destroyed in a fire that gutted a section of a shopping complex at the popular Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos.
The affected building is located at number 18, Otigba Street in the busy hub where mobile phones, laptops, and other gadgets worth millions of naira are sold on a daily basis.
Sources said the fire started in the early hours of Monday, and lasted a few hours before it was eventually put out.
The Police said they have yet to ascertain the cause of the fire.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said firefighters raced to the scene as soon as the incident was reported.
He added that the command, on its part, deployed a team of police operatives from Area ‘F’ Command, Ikeja Division, and neighbouring divisions to the area to protect the firefighters and others involved in the effort to quench the fire, as well as prevent looting.
“The fire has been put out successfully. No life was lost in the incident. However, valuable properties which estimates are not yet known were destroyed,” said Ajisebutu.
Channels Television quoted a shop owner as saying that the affected building houses shops where mobile phones and laptops are sold.
The fire, he said, began at about 4am and lasted till about 7am while policemen cordoned off the area as firefighters battle the fire.
He explained that the fire began from an electrical fault in the complex and some swollen batteries, saying that a section of the building was affected.