The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has identified the key challenges that prolonged firefighting efforts during the catastrophic blaze at Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island.
The fire broke out on Wednesday evening, December 24, at approximately 5:00 p.m. and burned for several hours into Thursday before finally being brought under control on Christmas Day. What started on a lower floor of the 25-storey building rapidly spread upward and outward, eventually engulfing at least five adjacent structures, including the historic Old Lagos Central Mosque.
In a statement released on Thursday via X, Controller General Margaret Adeseye of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said emergency responders received the distress call at 4:41 p.m. and arrived on scene by 4:53 p.m. Fire crews from Ebute Elefun and Dolphin stations responded immediately, with additional support from Sari Iganmu, Bolade, Isolo, and the Alausa headquarters.
Adeseye attributed the difficulty in containing the fire to several factors: improper storage methods, the abundance of highly flammable materials, restricted access to the fire scene, and the interconnected design of surrounding buildings. She explained that the affected structures primarily served as warehouses for clothing materials, along with offices and retail spaces, which fueled the flames and accelerated the fire’s spread.
Crowd control issues and limited access routes further hindered emergency operations, while the adjoining nature of the buildings created pathways for the fire to jump rapidly from one structure to another.
Despite these obstacles, the fire service has successfully contained the blaze, with teams now conducting damping-down operations to extinguish any remaining hot spots.
Five neighboring buildings sustained damage—two partially and three severely—including the Old Lagos Central Mosque. Ten people, predominantly male, were rescued with various injuries and are reported to be in stable condition.
Tragically, two unidentified adult males were found dead among the rubble of collapsed sections. Their bodies were recovered on Friday during ongoing search and rescue operations in the Marina area.
Emergency officials confirmed that a section of the building collapsed during the incident, trapping some occupants beneath the debris. The fire reportedly started on one of the lower floors before spreading both vertically and horizontally to neighboring properties.
A LASEMA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the two bodies were retrieved at approximately 11:03 a.m. and 12:03 p.m. during continued search efforts. Search, recovery, and safety assessment operations are still underway as authorities work to account for all individuals who may have been inside the building and to mitigate further risks.
Adeseye assured the public of the agency’s dedication to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents to remain calm, cooperate with emergency responders, and strictly follow safety guidelines.
The incident has reignited serious concerns about fire safety standards in Lagos Island’s congested commercial areas, especially in high-rise buildings and warehouse facilities where inadequate storage practices, flammable materials, and structural density continue to present significant hazards.
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