Many Traders Feared Trapped as Fire Guts Great Nigeria Insurance House on Lagos Island

A devastating fire outbreak on Wednesday evening engulfed the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a prominent commercial high-rise located on Martins Street in the Lagos Island area of Lagos State. The inferno reportedly left several traders stranded inside the building as emergency responders battled to contain the situation.

The fire incident, which occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m., affected large portions of the multi-storey complex. The building is widely known as a major storage and retail center for textile materials and fashion merchandise, making it a busy hub during business hours.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the flames spread rapidly, consuming several floors of the structure before emergency teams could fully gain control. The intensity of the blaze reportedly made evacuation difficult for occupants, raising concerns that some traders may have been trapped within the premises.

Confirming the incident, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that initial assessments pointed to an office space on the fourth floor as the source of the fire. According to him, the fire escalated quickly and extended to other parts of the building.

He explained that when LASEMA’s Shark Response Team arrived at the scene, the situation had already deteriorated significantly. The 22-storey commercial building was visibly affected by flames, with smoke and fire spreading beyond the point of origin.

Oke-Osanyintolu further stated that rescue and firefighting operations were still underway, making it impossible to immediately determine the number of casualties. He emphasized that emergency teams were prioritizing containment of the fire and ensuring the safety of anyone still inside the structure.

Emergency responders reportedly encountered serious challenges as the fire had already reached higher levels of the building. The upward spread of the flames complicated access routes and slowed rescue efforts, as firefighters worked to prevent further escalation.

In a separate update, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service provided reassurance that no deaths had been officially confirmed at the time of reporting. The agency noted that firefighting activities were ongoing and that efforts were being intensified to fully extinguish the blaze.

The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed that the fire had spread to the fifth floor of the building. However, she stated that the situation was being actively managed, with multiple firefighting units deployed to control the inferno and minimize further damage.

Authorities continue to monitor the incident closely as emergency operations proceed, while traders and business owners await further updates regarding the safety of occupants and the extent of property loss.