Lagos Island was thrown into turmoil Tuesday night after a massive fire engulfed Central Plaza, a busy shopping complex on Broad Street.
The inferno broke out around 7:40 p.m., spreading rapidly through the multi-storey building, causing part of it to collapse and injuring several people who were trapped inside.
This incident came just hours after another blaze tore through nearby Afriland Tower, leaving residents and traders shaken by the back-to-back disasters.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as traders frantically tried to salvage their goods while dodging smoke and falling debris.
“I don’t even know what I picked; I just grabbed what I could,” a distraught shop owner said, clutching burnt clothing.
Emergency responders battled the flames late into the night, though rescue efforts were slowed by the building’s partial collapse.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that goods worth millions of naira were destroyed, though the full casualty figures are still unknown.
In a fire alert shared on X, the agency’s Deputy Controller General, Olajide Ogabi, confirmed the incident and assured that investigations into the cause of both fires are ongoing.
The twin blazes, striking two major commercial landmarks on the same street within hours, have left the community deeply unsettled.
