Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has visited the scene of the fire that gutted the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island.
The governor arrived at the scene on Thursday as part of efforts by the state government to assess the damage caused by the inferno, which broke out on Christmas Eve.
The fire reportedly started from the fourth floor of the high-rise building around 5 p.m. on Wednesday and later spread to other floors. Several nearby structures were also affected, including the seven-storey Radio Nigeria building, Oluwole Plaza, a mosque and other adjoining buildings.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Fire Service and other agencies battled the blaze for more than 10 hours, with flames still visible into the early hours of Christmas Day.
Confirming the governor’s visit, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, said the inspection was part of a coordinated response by the state.
“Mr Governor is at the scene for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation,” Akosile said in a post on X.
A video shared by the aide showed Sanwo-Olu moving through the affected area alongside firefighters and other emergency officials, as they inspected damaged sections of the buildings.
Providing an update on the incident, LASEMA spokesperson, Nosa Okunbor, said the fire had been brought under control, though some injuries were recorded.
He said seven adult males sustained varying degrees of burn injuries, while five others suffered smoke inhalation.
“Seven adult males suffered varying degrees of burn injuries as a result of the inferno and were attended to by the agency’s paramedics before being taken to nearby hospitals for further medical attention,” Okunbor said.
He added that the affected nearby buildings were largely saved from total destruction.
“The adjoining buildings in proximity to the high-rise have largely been salvaged, and coordinated efforts continue to ensure the inferno is completely extinguished,” he said.
Okunbor also confirmed that the fire at the Radio Nigeria building had been put out, with cooling and dampening-down operations still ongoing.
“The seven-storey Radio Nigeria building opposite the Great Nigeria Insurance House has been safely extinguished by emergency responders,” he said.
According to him, a section of the Oluwole Plaza was affected, but most of the shops and goods in the complex were salvaged.
The incident has renewed concerns about frequent fire outbreaks in Lagos, especially during festive periods, as residents and business owners count their losses.
