Emergency responders are battling the spread of fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a commercial plaza on Martins Street in Lagos Island, Lagos State.
According to The Punch, the fire broke out around 5 pm on Wednesday in the building, which is largely used as a warehouse for clothing items.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the fire started on the fourth floor of the 22-storey building before spreading to other levels.
According to him, preliminary findings by LASEMA's Shark Response Team showed that the fire started in an office on the fourth floor and quickly spread to the sixth floor.
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“Upon arrival at the scene, our team discovered that the Great Nigeria Insurance House was engulfed in fire,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. “The fire started in an office on the fourth floor and quickly spread to other parts of the building.”
He said rescue and fire-fighting operations were still ongoing, making it impossible to confirm the number of casualties at the time of reporting.
However, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said it had not recorded any casualties.
In a separate statement, the agency's comptroller general, Margaret Adeseye, said the fire affected up to the fifth floor of the building and originated from the same level before spreading downwards.
“The affected structure is mainly used for warehouse storage and sale of clothing materials, with some corporate offices and shops within the complex,” Adeseye said. “There is no record of any casualties as the fire continues.”
Emergency officials said the investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing.
