A devastating Christmas Eve fire ravaged the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, causing significant damage to nearby buildings.
The blaze, which started on the fourth floor around 5 p.m., spread rapidly to other floors and adjoining structures, including the seven-storey Radio Nigeria building, Oluwole Plaza, and a mosque.
According to Nosa Okunbor, spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), seven people sustained varying degrees of burn injuries and were hospitalized.
Additionally, five others were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.
In a Christmas day update, Okunbor revealed that the fire had been contained, but not before causing widespread damage.
The LASEMA had issued a public alert on Christmas Eve, urging residents and traders in the area to evacuate immediately due to the rapidly spreading fire.
The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined, and authorities are investigating the incident.
He said: “The adjoining buildings in proximity to the high-rise have largely been salvaged, and coordinated efforts continue to ensure the inferno is completely extinguished.
“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.
“The seven-storey Radio Nigeria building opposite the Great Nigeria Insurance House has been safely extinguished by emergency responders, and dampening-down operations are ongoing.”
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