Femi Ashekun/
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the devastation caused by the fire that gutted the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Lagos Island goes far beyond what can be captured in official briefings, as concerns mounted over reports that people may be trapped in a collapsed adjoining building.
In a post on X on Thursday, the governor said: “No written report can truly reflect the pain or the full extent of this loss,” after visiting the Balogun area for an on-the-spot assessment of the aftermath of the blaze.
Sanwo-Olu described himself as deeply saddened by the incident and said his thoughts and prayers were with all those affected.
He added that seeing the scene firsthand underlined the scale of destruction in the densely populated commercial district.
While commending firefighters, emergency responders and other agencies that worked through the night to contain the inferno, the governor said their efforts helped save lives and prevented the fire from spreading further in the tightly packed Balogun axis.
However, reactions and eyewitness accounts shared under the governor’s post painted a more alarming picture late into the night.
A video shared by an X user, Ibrahim Folarin, showed the building still burning as of about 8.05pm on Thursday, suggesting that pockets of fire remained hours after initial containment efforts.
Another user, identified as Prince Tojah, alleged that his brother was still trapped in a collapsed building beside the Great Nigeria Insurance House, adding that “there are plenty people in there”.
The claim heightened fears that the fire may have caused secondary structural failures in neighbouring buildings.
A separate comment by a verified X user, boxy, drew attention to a recurring pattern of fires in the Balogun area, noting that there is “always a fire incident around this market every December”, a remark that echoed longstanding public concerns about fire safety in the historic trading hub.
Adding to these concerns, a reporter with Newsmakerslive.org, who was at the scene, observed that several buildings adjoining the burnt high rise were severely affected by the fire.
According to the reporter, the level of exposure to intense heat and flames suggests that some of the structures may require comprehensive integrity tests to determine whether they are still safe for use.
The Great Nigeria Insurance House is a prominent commercial building within the Balogun area of Lagos Island, one of the oldest and busiest trading districts in the state.
The area is characterised by ageing structures, narrow access roads and a high concentration of traders and flammable goods, factors that have historically complicated firefighting efforts.
Although the cause of the fire has yet to be officially confirmed, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is expected to carry out investigations alongside damage and structural assessments.
Authorities have also indicated that support measures for affected traders and occupants will follow once emergency operations are fully concluded.
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