Lagos Island was thrown into turmoil Tuesday night after a fire engulfed Central Plaza, a busy shopping complex on Broad Street, just hours after Afriland Tower in the same district was also hit by flames.
The blaze, which started around 7:40 p.m., spread rapidly through the multi-storey building, causing a partial collapse and leaving several people injured. Eyewitnesses recounted chaotic scenes as traders rushed through thick smoke and falling debris to salvage what they could.
“I don’t even know what I picked; I just grabbed what I could,” a distraught shop owner cried, clutching burnt clothing.
Emergency crews battled late into the night, but their efforts were hampered by the collapse. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that goods worth millions of naira were destroyed, although the full extent of casualties remains unclear.
Deputy Controller General of the service, Olajide Ogabi, confirmed the incident in a statement posted on the agency’s X page.
The back-to-back blazes — Afriland Tower in the afternoon and Central Plaza in the evening — have rattled traders and residents alike. Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the causes of the fires.
