Lagos shuts damaged Apongbon Bridge as fire destroys market
Lagos shuts damaged Apongbon Bridge as fire destroys market
By Monsurat Fanimokun
24th March,2022
Image Source : News Technocrats
Lagos State Government has shut down Apongbon Bridge, after makeshift shops and containers under the bridge gutted fire on Wednesday. It was learnt that the fire, which started around 3am, damaged the bridge, as property and goods worth millions of naira were also destroyed.
As some traders lamented their losses, few residents struggled to salvage their property. The incident created gridlock, leaving many commuters stranded. Some motorists bemoaned being trapped in the traffic, other motorists used alternative routes. Though there was no record of death, Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority had a tough time directing vehicular movements in the area.
The Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Margaret Adeseye, in a statement on Wednesday, said the intensity of the fire affected the bridge, adding that movement on the corridor was affected. The nature of the fire was disastrous; there has been no reported case of injury or death. The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the fire started from the illegal structures and containers where flammable items were stored aided the fire.
He said a post-disaster assessment revealed the need for a thorough review of the location, including integrity tests of the bridge. Which will be carried out with all stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry for Works, Lagos State Ministries of Works, Special Duties and the Environment; Lagos Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency and others. He said occupants of the illegal structures have been issued notice of 48 hours to remove all wears from the location to prevent any secondary incident
The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said integrity tests would be conducted on the bridge to ascertain the level of damage caused by the fire.
News Source : THE PUNCH.