No fewer than 300 structures were consumed in the Kara Cattle Market, Ogun State, while thousands of residents were rendered homeless by the fire.
It was learnt that the fire started around 2pm after a resident tried to refuel a working generator.
It was said to have quickly spread round the makeshift structures, covering about three acres of land.
It was gathered that the fire also consumed goods in the market, as the structures were used for residential and commercial purposes.
Firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service and the National Emergency Management Agency were said to have responded to the situation.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Fadipe, said active firefighting operation was still ongoing as at 6pm.
He said, “The fire started around 2pm and covered three acres of land. Preliminary investigations show that someone in the area decided to refuel his generator while it was still working and that was what caused the fire.
“We discovered that more than 300 structures were destroyed. And most of them served commercial and residential purposes. There was no casualty in the incident, except loss of property.”
The spokesperson for NEMA, South-West zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the agency had yet to ascertain the cause of the fire.
He urged residents to take proactive measures for the safety of their families and people in their neighborhood.
“We need to pay more attention to safety. Anything that can endanger our lives must be completely avoided. We are still investigating the fire incident,” he added.