*Two Bodies Recovered, 10 Rescued With Injuries; Five Buildings Affected
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced that the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building affected by a massive fire outbreak will be demolished once the inferno is completely put out.
The governor made this known when he visited the scene of the fire incident at Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Thursday, December 25, 2025.
In a monitored video from Channels Television, Sanwo-Olu said a committee headed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, will oversee the smooth demolition exercise in the next few days.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said, “You will see that the main building has been through partial collapse, and so what you will see is that eventually we will have to take down the entire building. I have set up a committee that will be headed by the honourable Commissioner for Special Duties, who will bring forward what will be the best mode for us to bring down the entire building within the shortest possible time.”
“So that will happen in a couple of days from now, based on whatever capacity in our work mode of demolition that we are going to be advising.”
The governor pointed out that about three or four other surrounding buildings were affected by the inferno, with two of them heavily impacted.
“Unfortunately, this fire that started has affected three or four other buildings around, especially at the other end, which are all clustered together. Two are heavily impacted, and about three others are partially impacted. So we are monitoring, and we are watching,” he stated.
The governor initially confirmed that there were no casualties, adding that all those who suffered severe injury had been taken to the hospital.
He advised residents to be safety-conscious during the dry season because this was not the first time the state was experiencing an inferno on Lagos Island. The governor told them to stay clear of the area.
Governor Sanwo-Olu assured that all first responders would remain at the scene to prevent reoccurrence of the fire incident and that all affected traders would be supported by the government.
However, two adult males, whose identities are yet to be established, were later found dead amid the debris of the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Lagos Island, following the devastating fire that swept through the high-rise building.
The bodies were recovered on Friday during continued search and rescue operations at the Marina axis, where the multi-storey structure was severely damaged by the inferno.
A LASEMA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the two bodies were discovered during ongoing operations to locate victims believed to have been trapped.
“Two bodies were recovered today during the search exercise. The first was found at about 11:03 a.m., while the second was recovered around 12:03 p.m.,” the official disclosed.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that 10 persons, mostly males, were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and are in stable condition.
The fire started in the building around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and continued into Thursday despite the early deployment of firefighting crews.
What began as a blaze on the fifth floor around 5 pm on Christmas Eve rapidly escalated, spreading to at least five adjoining structures, including the old Lagos Central Mosque, before emergency teams declared it under control on Christmas Day.
In a statement issued via X on Thursday, the Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said the distress call was received at 4:41 pm, with firefighters arriving at the scene at 4:53 pm.
She said crews from the Ebute Elefun and Dolphin fire stations were immediately deployed, while additional support came from the Sari Iganmu, Bolade and Isolo fire stations, as well as the Alausa headquarters.
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