A young female trader has provided a chilling firsthand account of the events leading up to the devastating fire that consumed parts of Lagos Island's renowned Balogun Market. In a detailed TikTok video, she described the initial moments of the incident, which resulted in the loss of goods worth millions of naira.
The First Signs of Smoke
The eyewitness, identified on social media as @_iyiolaa, stated that the first indication of trouble was visible around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. She was still at her shop at the time, as the situation did not appear grave initially.
"The fire started around 4 o’clock. I was still at my shop because it was nothing serious. It was just smoke; nobody knew it was really serious," she recounted. She added that even traders within the affected building did not immediately move their goods, underestimating the potential danger.
Criticism of Initial Emergency Response
A significant part of her testimony focused on the response from fire service personnel who, she claimed, were present at the scene early but appeared inactive. According to her, they were "just so relaxed" because there was no visible flame, only smoke.
"All those fire-fighting devices were already around. They were not even doing anything," she asserted in the video clip. This perceived delay in aggressive action, she implied, allowed a manageable situation to escalate into a major catastrophe.
A Narrow Escape and Heavy Losses
The trader revealed that she left the market around 7 PM and arrived home between 8 and 9 PM. It was only then, through videos sent by a friend still at the scene, that she realized the fire had intensified dramatically.
She credited her mother for her narrow escape, stating her mother was shouting "Let’s go!" "Thank God I followed her, otherwise, what would we be saying now?" she said, emphasizing how close she came to losing everything. She concluded somberly, "Everything got burnt."
Public Reaction and Recurring Concerns
The video sparked a flurry of reactions online, with many commenters expressing frustration and suspicion. User ifeoma_200 called the market "cursed," while JHAY.O CONFECTIONARIES questioned if fires had become a "yearly ritual" at Balogun.
Others criticized the traders' initial nonchalance. NAOMI EMPIRE asked, "Una see smoke una say it’s not that serious. Like seriously??" User DOMINIC EMPIRE pointed to a lack of preparedness, stressing that if each shop had fire extinguishers and people acted quickly, the fire could have been contained.
Comments like MamaD's—"I am suspecting something ooo, at every 3 to 6 months, fire happens in Balogun market"—highlighted a growing public concern over the frequency of such incidents at the major commercial hub.
This fire incident at Balogun Market follows another recent major blaze at the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on nearby Martins Street, Lagos Island, raising further questions about fire safety protocols in the densely populated business district.
