Popular car dealer loses almost ₦1bn as fire destroys workshop with 21 exotic cars, says there was no water

• Moses Benz estimates his losses at almost ₦1bn after a fire gutted his workshop in Isheri-Idimu, destroying customers' vehicles, his own cars and spare parts.

• He claims firefighters took more than three hours to arrive and repeatedly complained that there was no water to fight the flames.

• LASEMA says about 21 exotic vehicles were affected, but its response team and other emergency agencies stopped the fire from spreading to a nearby petrol station.

A popular Mercedes-Benz specialist in Lagos, known as Moses Benz, says he has lost almost ₦1bn after a fire gutted his workshop in Isheri-Idimu, destroying customers' cars, his own vehicles and his stock of parts.

He spoke in an interview with Mohammed Lexus, recorded at the burnt workshop on Oladunni Street in Alimosho, beside Eternal Filling Station. Lexus described him as a big name in Mercedes-Benz repairs.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) says the fire broke out at about 3:05 am on Friday. The owner told Lexus his phone rang around 2 am. His security man was calling, so he checked his CCTV and saw flames behind the booth. He said he ran to the workshop, but the fire had already spread by the time he got there.

He said it took firefighters more than three hours to arrive. "There was no water," he said, repeating it several times.

He said he lost a lot of customers' cars, along with some of his own and his parts. "Almost a billion," he said of the total. As an example of what was inside, he said a 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S sells for about ₦140m to ₦150m in the market.

LASEMA's account is different. Its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency's Dolphin Response Team at Igando was activated after a distress call and worked with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the police. He described the "prompt, professional and coordinated" intervention as having stopped the fire from reaching the petrol station next door.

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According to the preliminary assessment, about 21 exotic vehicles were affected, and a section of a nearby building suffered minor damage. The agency said no life was lost and no injury was recorded. Its statement did not say how long firefighters took to arrive.

The cause of the fire has not been established. Some residents and customers reportedly suspect arson, but no investigative report has been released.

LASEMA urged people to prioritise safety in workshops and other places where inflammable materials are handled, and to call 767 or 112 in an emergency.