The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has dismissed a viral video claiming that more people were rescued alive during the evacuation of the Great Nigeria Insurance building after a fire outbreak.
Vanguard News reported that the agency described the video as false and misleading, saying it does not reflect what happened at the scene.
The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, refuted the claim in a statement issued on Wednesday.
She said the fire occurred on December 24 at the 25-storey GNI House and spread to five nearby buildings.
According to her, coordinated emergency response efforts confirmed that eight people died in the incident, made up of five identified victims and three others yet to be identified.
She added that 13 people were rescued alive during the operation.
Adeseye explained that the video began circulating on December 25, within 24 hours of the incident, falsely suggesting that additional victims were evacuated alive after official rescue operations had ended.
“The video currently being circulated is false and does not represent the current situation at the scene,” she said.
She urged members of the public to disregard unverified information and rely only on official updates from the agency.
Adeseye also said the fire service remains on ground, working with other emergency responders to carry out necessary actions and ensure public safety.
