LAGOS FIRE SERVICE EXPLAINS DELAY IN CONTAINING LAGOS ISLAND INFERNO
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has explained the factors responsible for the prolonged firefighting operation at the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, following a major fire outbreak that lasted several hours.
The fire, which broke out on the fifth floor of the 25-storey building around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, spread rapidly to at least five adjoining structures, including the old Lagos Central Mosque, before it was finally brought under control on Christmas Day.
In a statement released on Thursday via its official X handle, the Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, said the agency received a distress call at 4:41 p.m., with firefighters arriving at the scene within 12 minutes, at about 4:53 p.m.
She explained that firefighting crews from the Ebute Elefun and Dolphin fire stations were immediately deployed, with reinforcement teams drawn from the Sari Iganmu, Bolade and Isolo fire stations, as well as the Alausa headquarters.
According to the Service, efforts to contain the inferno were hampered by poor storage practices within the affected buildings, the presence of highly combustible materials and the conjoined nature of the structures, which allowed the fire to spread swiftly.
Adeseye noted that the building primarily served as warehouses and sales outlets for clothing materials, alongside corporate offices and retail shops, adding that the highly flammable contents significantly fuelled the blaze.
She further disclosed that crowd control and restricted access to the scene posed additional challenges for emergency responders, while the close-knit construction of the buildings complicated suppression efforts.
“The affected buildings are predominantly warehouses with poor storage practices involving highly combustible materials, which facilitated rapid fire spread and complicated suppression efforts,” the statement said.
Providing an update, the Fire Service confirmed that the fire had been brought under control, with firefighters currently carrying out damping-down operations to extinguish remaining pockets of fire.
“So far, five adjoining buildings have been affected — two partially and three severely — including the old Lagos Central Mosque,” the Service stated.
The agency also confirmed that 10 persons, mostly males, were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and are currently in stable condition.
Adeseye assured residents of the Service’s continued commitment to the protection of lives and property, urging members of the public to remain calm, cooperate with emergency personnel and adhere strictly to safety advisories.
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