Inferno Marrs Christmas as Firefighters Battle 22-Storey Blaze on Lagos Island

The festive atmosphere of Christmas morning was replaced by a chaotic struggle for survival on Lagos Island today, as emergency responders battled a massive fire engulfing the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House.

The blaze, which reportedly ignited around 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, continued to rage well into Thursday, sending thick plumes of black smoke over the commercial district of Martins Street.

What began as a fire on the fourth floor quickly escalated, climbing upward and threatening the structural integrity of the high-rise, which serves as a major warehousing hub for textile and footwear merchants.

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The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed that the incident has resulted in at least 12 casualties. Seven adults suffered varying degrees of burns and were urgently transported to nearby medical facilities for trauma care, while five others were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, described the operation as highly challenging due to the sheer height of the structure.

He noted that the fire quickly gained momentum from the fourth floor, spreading to adjacent levels and even affecting a nearby mosque and the Oluwole Plaza.

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Despite the intensity of the heat, combined teams from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Federal Fire Service deployed aerial ladders and skylifts in a desperate bid to contain the inferno.

By Thursday morning, officials reported that while the blaze had been largely contained, “dampening down” operations were critical to prevent reignition.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for calm, assuring residents that the state is deploying every available resource to minimize loss in the economic nerve center of the city.

As the smoke begins to clear, the focus will soon shift to the cause of the disaster, with investigators waiting for the building to be declared safe before assessing the full extent of the damage.