- Title: NIGERIA: Lagos slum devastated by fire
- Date: 9th January 2013
- Summary: EBUTE METTA, LAGOS, NIGERIA (JANUARY 9, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF EBUTE METTA SLUM PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE DESTRUCTION DEBRIS DAMAGED MACHINE AND DESTRUCTION PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE DESTRUCTION CLOTHES SMOULDERING MAN TRYING TO SALVAGE HIS PROPERTY COOKING UTENSILS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IKECHUKWU AGBOWA, DRIVER, SAYING (AUDIO AS INCOMING): "The fire burned too much, all my houses, everywhere, all my properties, a lot of things destroyed so even the sawing machine, the wood they are selling there, everything is destroyed. I am very confused, I don't know what to do now, both my family, all of them are outside, all my properties, everything is burnt." RESIDENTS SALVAGING GOODS MAN SEARCHING THROUGH DEBRIS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LOOKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ADEKOYE RUFUS OLADELE, CHAIRMAN, LAGOS MAINLAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SAYING: "So clearly as you can see, lots of money has been lost to the fire and you know it runs into millions if not billions because we have mainly saw millers here who normally trade here and a lot of their machines has been affected. People's houses, people's properties have also been affected. The only consolation is the fact that we have not lost any life." MEN LOADING DAMAGED PROPERTY INTO A CART STOVES IN THE CART WIDE OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE
- Embargoed: 24th January 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Business,Accidents,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVAGSQ6AALSW66WJTKKGU7FHR5S
- Story Text: Residents of a Lagos slum on Wednesday (January 9) were counting the cost after a devastating fire ripped through their neighbourhood burning down ramshackle homes and workshops.
Firefighters fought for the inferno for several hours believed to have been sparked by an electrical fault.
Dozens of buildings were razed in the Ebute Metta slum area where sawmills processed timber from across Nigeria.
"The fire burned too much, all my houses, everywhere, all my properties, a lot of things destroyed so even the sawing machine, the wood they are selling there, everything is destroyed. I am very confused, I don't know what to do now, both my family, all of them are outside, all my properties, everything is burnt," said Ikechukwu Agbowa, a Lagos truck driver.
Adeloye Rufus Oladele, Chairman, Lagos Mainland local government, said there were no casualties in the fire but the financial cost would be extensive.
"So clearly as you can see, lots of money has been lost to the fire and you know it runs into millions if not billions because we have mainly saw millers here who normally trade here and a lot of their machines has been affected. People's houses, people's properties have also been affected. The only consolation is the fact that we have not lost any life."
Many people attempted to recover damaged property from the debris that was once home to thousands. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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