The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has explained why the fire outbreak at the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, took several hours to contain.

The fire started in the 25-storey building around 5 p.m. on Wednesday and continued into Thursday despite the early deployment of firefighting crews.

What began as a blaze on the fifth floor around 5 pm on December 24 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.

Explaining the delay in containing the fire, the service said the operation was challenged by poor storage practices, the presence of highly combustible materials and the conjoined nature of surrounding buildings.

According to the fire service, the blaze originated on the fifth floor of the building, which is largely used as warehouse storage and sales outlets for clothing materials, alongside corporate offices and a few retail shops.

Adeseye explained that the affected buildings were predominantly warehouses with poor storage arrangements, containing highly combustible materials that fuelled the fire’s rapid spread and complicated suppression efforts.

She added that crowd control and limited access to the scene posed significant challenges for emergency responders, while the conjoined structure of the buildings further aided fire propagation.

The statement read, “The affected buildings are predominantly warehouses with poor storage practices involving highly combustible materials, which facilitated rapid fire spread and complicated suppression efforts.

“Crowd control and accessibility have posed significant challenges for emergency responders.

“The conjoined nature of the building structures further aided fire propagation and hindered effective firefighting operations.”

The service, however, said the fire has been brought under control.

“As of this update, the fire has been brought under control, with the intensity significantly curtailed.

“Firefighters are currently engaged in damping down operations, targeting remaining pockets of fire to fully conclude suppression efforts.

“So far, five adjoining buildings have been affected — two partially and three severely — including the old Lagos Central Mosque,” the statement said.

The fire service confirmed that 10 persons, mostly males, were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and are in stable condition.

Adeseye assured the public that the Service’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents to remain calm, cooperate with emergency personnel and comply with safety advisories. (The PUNCH)