*Two Bodies Recovered, 10 Rescued With Injuries; Five Buildings Affected
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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced that the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building affected by a massive fire outbreak will be demolished once the inferno is completely put out.
The governor made this known when he visited the scene of the fire incident at Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Thursday, December 25, 2025.
In a monitored video from Channels Television, Sanwo-Olu said a committee headed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, will oversee the smooth demolition exercise in the next few days.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said, “You will see that the main building has been through partial collapse, and so what you will see is that eventually we will have to take down the entire building. I have set up a committee that will be headed by the honourable Commissioner for Special Duties, who will bring forward what will be the best mode for us to bring down the entire building within the shortest possible time.”
“So that will happen in a couple of days from now, based on whatever capacity in our work mode of demolition that we are going to be advising.”
The governor pointed out that about three or four other surrounding buildings were affected by the inferno, with two of them heavily impacted.
“Unfortunately, this fire that started has affected three or four other buildings around, especially at the other end, which are all clustered together. Two are heavily impacted, and about three others are partially impacted. So we are monitoring, and we are watching,” he stated.
The governor initially confirmed that there were no casualties, adding that all those who suffered severe injury had been taken to the hospital.
He advised residents to be safety-conscious during the dry season because this was not the first time the state was experiencing an inferno on Lagos Island. The governor told them to stay clear of the area.
Governor Sanwo-Olu assured that all first responders would remain at the scene to prevent reoccurrence of the fire incident and that all affected traders would be supported by the government.
However, two adult males, whose identities are yet to be established, were later found dead amid the debris of the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Lagos Island, following the devastating fire that swept through the high-rise building.
The bodies were recovered on Friday during continued search and rescue operations at the Marina axis, where the multi-storey structure was severely damaged by the inferno.
A LASEMA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the two bodies were discovered during ongoing operations to locate victims believed to have been trapped.
“Two bodies were recovered today during the search exercise. The first was found at about 11:03 a.m., while the second was recovered around 12:03 p.m.,” the official disclosed.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that 10 persons, mostly males, were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and are in stable condition.
The fire started in the building around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and continued into Thursday despite the early deployment of firefighting crews.
What began as a blaze on the fifth floor around 5 pm on Christmas Eve rapidly escalated, spreading to at least five adjoining structures, including the old Lagos Central Mosque, before emergency teams declared it under control on Christmas Day.
In a statement issued via X on Thursday, the Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said the distress call was received at 4:41 pm, with firefighters arriving at the scene at 4:53 pm.
She said crews from the Ebute Elefun and Dolphin fire stations were immediately deployed, while additional support came from the Sari Iganmu, Bolade and Isolo fire stations, as well as the Alausa headquarters.
Explaining the delay in containing the fire, the service said the operation was challenged by poor storage practices, the presence of highly combustible materials and the conjoined nature of surrounding buildings.
According to the fire service, the blaze originated on the fifth floor of the building, which is largely used as warehouse storage and sales outlets for clothing materials, alongside corporate offices and a few retail shops.
Adeseye explained that the affected buildings were predominantly warehouses with poor storage arrangements, containing highly combustible materials that fuelled the fire’s rapid spread and complicated suppression efforts.
She added that crowd control and limited access to the scene posed significant challenges for emergency responders, while the conjoined structure of the buildings further aided fire propagation.
The statement read, “The affected buildings are predominantly warehouses with poor storage practices involving highly combustible materials, which facilitated rapid fire spread and complicated suppression efforts.”
“Crowd control and accessibility have posed significant challenges for emergency responders.”
“The conjoined nature of the building structures further aided fire propagation and hindered effective firefighting operations.”
The service, however, said the fire has been brought under control.
“As of this update, the fire has been brought under control, with the intensity significantly curtailed.”
“Firefighters are currently engaged in damping down operations, targeting remaining pockets of fire to fully conclude suppression efforts.”
“So far, five adjoining buildings have been affected two partially and three severely — including the old Lagos Central Mosque,” the statement said.
The LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, had earlier said the fire started from an apartment on the fourth floor, then quickly spread to other parts of the floor and later reached the sixth floor with rapid upward momentum.
During the incident, a section of the building reportedly collapsed, leaving some traders trapped beneath the rubble.
The fire also extended to surrounding properties, including the Old Lagos Central Mosque.
Emergency response teams, including LASEMA, LASG Fire & Rescue, Federal Fire Service, LNSC, Nigeria Police, Red Cross, and LRU Paramedics, were deployed to the scene.
Search, recovery and safety operations are continuing at the scene as emergency teams work to account for all persons who may have been in the building at the time of the fire and to ensure the structural stability of remaining portions of the affected buildings.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, were unsuccessful as he had not responded to enquiries as of press time.
Adeseye assured the public of the Service’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents to remain calm, cooperate with emergency personnel and comply with safety advisories.
The fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance House highlights ongoing concerns about fire safety in Lagos, particularly in high-rise buildings and warehouse facilities on Lagos Island.
The challenges cited by the fire service—poor storage practices, highly combustible materials, conjoined buildings, and crowd control issues—are common problems in the densely packed commercial district.
The recovery of two bodies and the rescue of 10 injured persons underscore the human toll of the incident, while the spread to five adjoining buildings, including the historic Old Lagos Central Mosque, demonstrates the vulnerability of structures in the area.
The incident occurred during the Christmas holiday period, potentially complicating emergency response and evacuation efforts.
The timing of the fire outbreak on Christmas Eve and the continued operations on Christmas Day meant that many emergency responders had to work through the holiday to contain the blaze and rescue trapped victims.
The building, which is widely known to serve as a warehouse for traders who deal in clothing materials, contained highly flammable goods that accelerated the fire’s spread.
This underscores the risks associated with using high-rise buildings for warehouse storage, particularly when proper fire safety measures and storage practices are not observed.
With the governor’s announcement of the planned demolition, attention now turns to how the exercise will be conducted safely and efficiently to prevent further hazards.
The committee headed by the Commissioner for Special Duties will have to determine the best demolition method considering the building’s location in the densely packed Lagos Island commercial district and the partial collapse already suffered.
The government’s promise to support affected traders will be critical, as many are likely to have lost significant inventory and business assets in the fire.
The manner and extent of this support will be closely watched by the trading community and other stakeholders.
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