A catastrophic fire has engulfed the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate in Lagos, reducing a massive section of the Mile 2 commercial hub to ashes. The blaze, which began on Saturday evening, was fueled by stored chemical drums, leading to a series of terrifying explosions that shook the foundation of nearby buildings.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has been battling the inferno for over 24 hours. According to Permanent Secretary Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the fire originated in a warehouse behind the SAPID Container Terminal and rapidly spread across an estimated 15,000 square meters—an area equivalent to two football pitches.

"The Sky Turned Orange"

"It sounded like a bomb," said Emeka Okonkwo, a security guard at a neighboring factory. "First there was a small smoke, then boom The drums started exploding one by one. The heat was so intense we had to run for our lives."

Firefighters from Ajegunle, Sari Iganmu, and Alausa stations were mobilized, but the volatile nature of the chemical storage made containment nearly impossible. The "intermittent explosions" forced emergency responders to maintain a safe distance, deploying aerial water towers to combat the flames from above.

• The Damage: While no fatalities have been officially recorded, goods worth billions of Naira—including industrial solvents, oils, and imported machinery—have been destroyed.
• The Cause: Preliminary investigations point to improper storage of combustible materials. Lagos has seen a spate of industrial fires in 2026, raising serious questions about safety compliance in Nigeria’s economic capital.

Economic Blow

The destruction of the SAPID terminal facilities is a major blow to the Mile 2 corridor, a critical logistics node for the port city. As smoke continues to billow over the skyline, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has urged residents to keep their windows closed to avoid inhaling toxic fumes.

For the business owners watching their livelihoods go up in smoke, the question is not just how the fire started, but why the city’s industrial regulations continue to fail them when it matters most.