By Deborah Akpede
Lagos, Dec. 31, 2025
A significant fire outbreak on Tuesday evening gutted a section of the popular Army Arena Market in Bolade, Oshodi, Lagos, causing extensive damage to multiple container shops before a coordinated firefighting effort brought the blaze under control.
The incident, confirmed by the Lagos State Government Fire and Rescue Service, highlights the persistent vulnerability of densely packed urban markets to fire hazards and the critical importance of rapid emergency response.
Timeline and Emergency Response
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service received a distress call at 5:50 p.m. Controller General Mrs. Margaret Adeseye reported that fire crews were dispatched immediately, achieving a remarkably fast response time. Units from the Bolade, Ilupeju, Ikeja, and Alausa Fire Stations arrived on the scene by approximately 5:55 p.m.—within just five minutes of the call.
This multi-station response was crucial. Markets like Arena are often labyrinths of narrow alleys and tightly packed stalls, making access difficult. The swift, collaborative effort prevented a localized incident from becoming a catastrophic market-wide inferno. The firefighters successfully confined the fire to a specific section and curtailed any risk of it spreading to adjacent areas, a testament to their training and coordination.
Scope of the Damage
The fire affected a cluster of ten container shops, arranged as five 40-foot containers in two rows. According to Adeseye, this section was primarily used for the storage and sale of bales of clothing materials—a detail that explains the fire’s intensity. Textiles are highly combustible, and when stored in bulk, they provide ample fuel for a fire to rapidly gain hold and generate intense heat.
While the statement confirmed no loss of life and the protection of the broader market, the economic impact on the ten affected traders is likely severe. These container shops often represent an individual’s or family’s entire livelihood, housing not just inventory but essential business records and equipment. The loss of bales of clothing material translates to a direct and potentially devastating financial blow.
Context and Underlying Challenges
Fire outbreaks in Nigerian markets are, unfortunately, not uncommon. Underlying factors frequently include:
- Electrical Faults: Overloaded and aging wiring systems, often improvised to serve many shops from a single source.
- Storage of Flammables: Keeping fuels, generators, and highly combustible goods like textiles and plastics in close quarters.
- Congested Layouts: Makes fire spread quickly and hampers firefighter access.
- Inadequate Preventive Measures: Many markets lack sufficient fire extinguishers, water points, and clear emergency access routes.
Controller General Adeseye stated that an investigation into the cause of the Arena Market fire will be conducted. Determining the origin—whether electrical, accidental, or otherwise—is vital not only for this incident but for informing broader fire safety regulations and enforcement in similar markets across the state.
Moving Forward: Safety and Recovery
The Lagos State Fire Service’s assurance that all measures were taken to safeguard lives and property will be cold comfort to the displaced traders. The immediate focus for authorities and market associations should be a dual track:
- Trader Support: Facilitating access to emergency relief, insurance claims processes (where applicable), and potential temporary selling spaces to help affected businesses begin recovery.
- Preventive Reinforcement: Using this incident as a catalyst to audit fire safety compliance in Arena Market and others. This includes enforcing electrical standards, designating and keeping clear fire lanes, ensuring accessible firefighting equipment, and conducting regular safety drills for traders.
The prompt and effective response on December 31st prevented a worse disaster. However, the event serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present fire risk in urban commercial centers and the continuous need for proactive prevention, robust infrastructure, and sustained public awareness to protect the economic lifeblood of the city. Further updates on the investigation’s findings are awaited.
(Report sourced from NAN. Edited by Vivian Ihechu.)
