By Monsuru Olowoopejo

lagos—TWO people, yesterday, sustained varying degrees of injuries when  a shopping complex was gutted by fire at Odo-Eran in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State.

11 shops and property worth several millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno, which began at about 2.36 pm from a store stocked with chemical for paint production.

It was learned that efforts of the Lagos State Emergency Response Team, which include Lagos State Fire Service, State Emergency management Agency, LASEMA and officials from Wahum Industries Limited, prevented the spread of the fire to other adjoining buildings.

Confirming the number of shops razed, director of the State fire service, Rasak Fadipe and General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu, lamented that the chemical items were inappropriately stored within the premises.

Tiamiyu disclosed that 11 shops were razed by the inferno and two adult male sustained injuries but prompt efforts of the team helped salvage 10 shops.

He said: “From our preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the fire started from one of the shops within the premises. Further investigation revealed that chemical items used for manufacturing paint were inappropriately stored as this came in contact with other inflammable items leading to the fire outbreak.”

He, however, advised shop owners and companies involved in chemical storage and other inflammable materials to often adopt daily precautionary  measures.