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Emergency responders battled a massive fire at the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, more than 10 hours after it began.
The blaze, which started around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, spread to at least four adjacent buildings, causing widespread damage in one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs.
The fire reportedly started on the fourth or fifth floor of the high-rise, which is primarily used as a warehouse for clothing, before spreading to other floors.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the fire started from the fourth floor and had extended to the sixth floor of the high-rise building.
Similarly, the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, noted that no casualties had been recorded so far.
“The affected building is primarily used for warehouse storage and the sale of clothing materials, with corporate offices and a few shops also located within the premises.
“There has been no record of casualties as firefighting continues,” Adeseye stated.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, has stated in a press release on Thursday that no casualties were recorded, while the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.
Omotoso said the governor, Sanwo-Olu, who had been personally monitoring the situation since it was reported, promptly directed the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to step up response efforts and ensure the evacuation of nearby buildings.
He added that the distress call came in at about 4:41 p.m., prompting an immediate response from fire crews at the Ebute Elefun and Dolphin stations, reinforced by teams from Sari Iganmu and the Alausa headquarters.
“The firefighters arrived at the scene within 12 minutes, at about 4:53 p.m., and commenced coordinated containment operations,” he said.
Omotoso stated that the governor maintained constant communication with emergency responders and security agencies throughout the early hours of the morning.
“As at about 3:40 a.m., when the fire had largely been brought under control, the governor was still receiving updates and issuing directives.
“Our priority is the safety of lives; I have directed that the building and its surroundings be thoroughly secured, and that emergency personnel must ensure that no one is left inside,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also commended firefighters and first responders for their swift and courageous response, assuring Lagosians that the situation was under control.
“Lagosians should remain calm; the situation is under control,” he said.
Omotoso added that security agencies had been deployed to cordon off the area, while first responders continued safety assessments to prevent any secondary incidents.
He assured residents that the Lagos State Government remained fully on top of the situation and would provide further updates as necessary.
