Globus Supermarket in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, went up in flames on Monday, destroying goods worth several millions of naira.
One of the female staff, who was said to have been burnt, was feared dead.
Other members of staff reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries off the resultant stampede.
The cause of the fire remains unknown at the time of filing this report.
But eye witnesses said the fire started around 11 am.
However residents faulted the delayed arrival of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, attributing it as the cause of the devastating effect.
According to an eye witness identified simply as Joseph, “When the Lagos State Fire Service arrived around 12 noon, they used the water they had to extinguish some parts but waited for many hours before continuing the operation
“They said there was no water and they were waiting for water to arrive before continuing the operation. Boys in the area decided to use their hands to remove some of the iron protectors around the building. In the process, a lady was rescued from the toilet.
But I don’t know if she will survive because her hands and face were burnt before they took her to the hospital. But goods worth 300 million have been burnt down.”
Another witness, Obinna, who sells opposite the building, said, “The fire started at 11 am. We didn’t really know what happened, but smoke was coming out from the window. I was the one who alerted management of the mall.”
Countering the information about the delay, the Deputy Head of Operation, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mr. Olajide Ogabi, said the team arrived at the venue immediately after they were alerted. He said, “There is no such thing as waiting for water. The Lagos State Government has provided vehicles for us to operate and we got here immediately after we got information.”
The reason why the fire is still ongoing is because we don’t know the contents of the items in the store, and we can’t ascertain that until we are done”
He added that “A lady was rescued, and she has been taken to the hospital for treatment. She is responding to treatment.”
However, information by a private guard opposite the Globus supermarket had it that the injured lady had passed away.
He said, “She is gone; her sister just left, crying over her demise. She said she died in the hospital.”
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