A massive fire on Wednesday evening engulfed the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a plaza located on Martins Street in the Lagos Island area of Lagos State.
The building, which is largely used as a warehouse for clothing materials, was reported to have been engulfed by fire at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, permanent secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said that the fire started from one of the offices on the fourth floor of the building.
According to him, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but the flames quickly spread from the point of origin to other parts of the building.
Oke-Osanyintolu said, “Upon arrival of the Shark Response Team at the scene, a 22-storey building (Great Nigeria Insurance House) was found to have been engulfed by fire.
“Preliminary investigation conducted by the Shark Response Team revealed that the fire started from one of the apartments on the fourth floor and quickly gained momentum, spreading to other parts of the floor and escalating upwards to the sixth floor within the 22-storey building.
“Currently, the number of casualties cannot be ascertained, as firefighting operations are still ongoing.”
He added that rescue efforts were still in progress, noting that the situation remained fluid as responders worked to contain the blaze.
In a separate statement, Margaret Adeseye, controller-general of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, said no casualties had been recorded as of the time of her briefing.
“The fire is currently affecting up to the fifth floor of a 25-storey building. It originated on the fifth floor and has spread downwards from that level.
“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.
Photos and videos from the scene, credited to LASEMA, show thick smoke billowing from the building as emergency teams work to bring the fire under control.