A man was burnt beyond recognition and hundreds of people rendered homeless in an early morning inferno, which engulfed part of the Ijora Badia area of Lagos State on Friday.
The fire was said to have started at about 1am and was not put off until at about 5am, even though the Igamu Fire Service Station was behind the area where the fire occurred.
According to some of the fire fighters, they were not able to get close and arrest the fire on time because of the way in which most of the houses, built out of planks, were constructed and structured.
The razed down structures were also close to the popular Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu International Trailer Park.
The fire is believed to have been caused by a lighted candle from the room of one of the residents and further fuelled by many generating sets, which were on at the time the fire started.
The victim, who was burnt to death in the fire, had been identified as a paying customer, who came to one of the hotels in the area to have a good time with one of the prostitutes.
An eyewitness claimed: “He was discovered in one of the rooms of the hotel.
“The hotel was also razed by the fire.
“The man was not able to locate the exit fast enough because he did not know the layout of the building.
“More than 60 houses were burnt down and it affected about 100 residents.
“I don’t know where they are going to spend the night today.
“Several shops were also affected.”
