Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has visited the scene of the massive fire that consumed the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Christmas Eve.
The fire reportedly started on the fourth and fifth floors and quickly spread throughout the building, which is now largely used as a storage warehouse rather than office space.
Speaking to reporters, the governor highlighted ongoing safety concerns. “This building has had previous fire incidents. Its conversion into warehousing on nearly every floor, filled with flammable materials, made firefighting extremely challenging,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He explained that the blaze escalated as initial responders, trained for ground-level fires, struggled to control the flames on the upper floors.
The governor commended the coordinated efforts of the Lagos Fire Service, Lagos Emergency Response Team, Federal Fire Service, Nigerian Port Authority, and other agencies.
“Thankfully, there are no reported casualties, although several people were treated and taken to hospital,” he added.
Sanwo-Olu confirmed that parts of the building have collapsed and announced that it will be demolished to prevent further risks
