Apongbo Bridge shut, as fire guts market in Lagos
Shops burn to ashes
Motorist urged to use alternative roads
By Fredrick Wright
The popular Apogbon Bridge on Lagos Island has been shut to traffic as fire gulps scores of shops under the bridge thereby threatening its physical strength.
SlyeNews gathered that the incident has resulted in terrible traffic gridlock that had crippled commercial activities around Lagos Island axis of the state.
Acting Coordinator, South-West Zonal Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye told SlyeNews that emergency responders are on top of the situation while no causality has been recorded yet.
Although, causes of the fire was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filling this report, SlyeNews gathered that there are lots of containers stored with different types of goods that are exploding simultaneously.
Sources said some of the shops consumed are basically selling baking materials.
Farinloye said: “Fire outbreak at underbridge Apongbon. The bridge has been physically damaged. Lots of shops have gone.
“Federal Ministry of Works have been called upon to close the bridge and carryout integrity tests to determine the safety of the bridge for further usage,”
Giving a hint of alternative routes, he said: “Movements from Ikorodu Road, take detour via jibowu to connect Yaba and thru to Oyingbo or Adekunle, from there to Adeniji and Adeniji to Ebutte Ero or continue movements toward CMS or inner Marina.
Second route for those going to Ijora, Constain or inner part of Surulere, can continue to thru the crawling movement to connect Eko bridge take a detour to Ijora and continue journey to Apapa or towards Leventis, UBA roundabout connect Marina Marina,”
The Director of the state’s fire service, Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that the firefighting operations were ongoing and that soon, it would be put out completely.
Adeseye noted that the fire service officials have curtailed the inferno from spreading to other locations under the bridge.
