Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday confirmed that eight people lost their lives in the fire that engulfed the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Building on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Christmas Eve.
Gatekeepers News reports that the governor disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment of the fire-ravaged building, nine days after the incident, with pockets of fire still visible at the site.
Sanwo-Olu said that 13 people were rescued alive from the building, while search and recovery operations confirmed eight fatalities.
Describing the incident as tragic and deeply painful, the governor led members of his entourage in observing a minute of silence in honour of those who lost their lives.
He attributed the outbreak of the fire to human error and stressed the need for stricter compliance with safety regulations in commercial and residential buildings across the state.
The governor revealed that several adjoining structures along Martins, Shitta and Breadfruit streets were affected by the fire, adding that multiple generators were discovered on different floors of nearby shopping plazas.
According to him, such unsafe practices significantly increase fire risks and endanger lives.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government would not hesitate to take tough decisions, including the demolition of any structure that fails integrity tests after comprehensive technical assessments.
He warned residents, traders and passers-by to stay away from the area pending a phased and carefully controlled demolition of the affected building, noting that safety agencies would continue to secure the location to prevent secondary disasters.
The governor also urged traders and business owners to prioritise their lives over material possessions during emergencies, disclosing that some of the victims were initially evacuated safely but reportedly returned to retrieve goods before becoming trapped.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has established a help desk at the scene to document reports of missing persons linked to shops or businesses in the affected plaza.
The agency is working with other emergency responders to ensure proper documentation and provide support for affected families.
Sanwo-Olu was accompanied during the inspection by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso; Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr Gbenga Oyerinde; Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu; General Manager of the Lagos Command and Control Centre, Mr Femi Kennedy-Giwa; and other senior government officials.
At the time of the visit, Martins Street remained closed to business activities, with security personnel and emergency agencies maintaining a cordon around the area. The state government assured residents that further updates would be provided as recovery efforts and structural assessments continue.
