₦airaland Forum

A major fire outbreak has been reported at the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a 22-storey commercial building located on Martins Street within the Balogun Market area of Lagos Island. The incident occurred today, December 24, 2025.

The high-rise building, which is primarily used as a warehouse for clothing materials, reportedly caught fire at about 5:00 p.m. Preliminary investigations by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) indicate that the fire started in an office on the fourth floor.

The blaze escalated rapidly, spreading from the fourth floor to the sixth floor and eventually affecting other parts of the structure.

Emergency response teams, including LASEMA’s Shark Response Team and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, are currently on the scene battling the inferno and working to bring the situation under control.
As of 8:30 p.m., the number of casualties remains unconfirmed, as firefighting and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Balogun Market, one of Lagos Island’s busiest commercial hubs, has witnessed similar incidents in the past. This fire comes months after another outbreak in September 2025 that affected a high-rise office building within the same Balogun Market vicinity.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNKYaumCb3E?si=KbwBQoi9TJBgxPbJ

Summary:
A major fire broke out at the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House in Balogun Market, Lagos Island, on December 24, 2025. The blaze reportedly started on the fourth floor and spread to higher levels, prompting an emergency response from LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service. Rescue and firefighting efforts are ongoing, with no confirmed casualties as of the latest update.

Fire season without harmattan.

That's really unfortunate. I hope the building was salvaged

A 22 storey doesn't have anti-fire mechanism and quick response utilities?

Man hand dey inside am

matify83:
Fire season without harmattan.

FreeStuffsNG:
That's really unfortunate. I hope the building was salvaged

after 12 months of struggling lazy enemies I'll take it back from behind

Some local Alaye boys were cooking a goat on open fire while smoking powerful Ondo weed inside that building where they camp by night. The fire spread to some piles of trash in the same room, and before long, a state of pandemonium and utter WAHALA ensued while the flames spread. The entire structure is now a write-off.


Cocoa House in Ibadan is reportedly home to many Alayes as well. Anyone who ventures into a hijacked sky scraper building in Nigeria might not make it back out.

Why is it that most buildings in that axis always caught fire during festive period....

chatinent:
A 22 storey doesn't have anti-fire mechanism and quick response utilities?

Are you new to that market... There is no any form of fire suppression equipment install anywhere even Lagos state government have to use force to install hydrant in some strategic place... Naa only making money dey for Nigerian head... According to a story I heard ooh there is on place that can serve as easy access to from 4th floor but the door the owner put in place can't be easily put Down... Where I work in Ogun state we have a special machine cal Cold cut Cobra it will brake any mortal and cut any metal with just water I think Lagos can afford such machine

REDshouse:
Why is it that most buildings in that axis always caught fire during festive period....

Many of the people using that complex are on holiday, most of them only entrust their shop assistance to put off most of the appliance but we are human... Some of them might forget to put off some

Millions of Naira, lost, the fire can't be put out. No water, emergency response slow. Those that built Lagos, surrounded by water can't provide water. May insurance cover all the losses and ki Olorun fi ofo ra emi.

This will send many back to square one.
Is there no solution to this island fire issue?

This market and fire...5&6

We rush to build 22 storey without any safety implemented for fire.

Thank God no issues to life.

As for the building owner. Senseless

Very sad hope no life was lost see property worths hundreds of million down the drain

Lagos Island is an emergency waiting to happen. It’s commendable that they were able to contain the fire thus far.

No be to construct tall buildings but to manage them in emergency situations. If you must copy Dubai, don’t forget the safeguards.

chatinent:
A 22 storey doesn't have anti-fire mechanism and quick response utilities?

This one de speak English. If u like dont face reality that your country is a shutholle

Ohh no!
So much investments lost!

Sheesh!
One can’t even catch a break! Disaster takes no holidays!

matify83:
Fire season without harmattan.

Quite unexplainable,fire to wealth content.

This is why markets are shut down. Zero firefighting and suppression systems in place.

Shut this one down now and the usual suspects will start crying that you're targeting them.

7

Glimpsetv:
Summary:
A major fire broke out at the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House in Balogun Market, Lagos Island, on December 24, 2025. The blaze reportedly started on the fourth floor and spread to higher levels, prompting an emergency response from LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service. Rescue and firefighting efforts are ongoing, with no confirmed casualties as of the latest update.

please kindly summarize the whole story for us. Thanks

iwaeda:
Millions of Naira, lost, the fire can't be put out. No water, emergency response slow. Those that built Lagos, surrounded by water can't provide water. May insurance cover all the losses and ki Olorun fi ofo ra emi.

Billions of naira most likely.

Some peoplewill just open mouth and say shithole country, as if dey ever contributed anything to the country. Discuss issue that happening the next thing is to star cursing d country or calling it names. If they government trying doing the right thing now u will start hearing stories. Will the government force the owner to install safety equipments? If they start closing such building for lack of safety regulations una go be d one to talk.

Still Burning as at 10:30am this morning.

[quote author=Glimpsetv post=137899491]A major fire outbreak has been reported at the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a 22-storey commercial building located on Martins Street within the Balogun Market area of Lagos Island. The incident occurred today, December 24, 2025.

The high-rise building, which is primarily used as a warehouse for clothing materials, reportedly caught fire at about 5:00 p.m. Preliminary investigations by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) indicate that the fire started in an office on the fourth floor.

The blaze escalated rapidly, spreading from the fourth floor to the sixth floor and eventually affecting other parts of the structure.

Emergency response teams, including LASEMA’s Shark Response Team and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, are currently on the scene battling the inferno and working to bring the situation under control.
As of 8:30 p.m., the number of casualties remains unconfirmed, as firefighting and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Balogun Market, one of Lagos Island’s busiest commercial hubs, has witnessed similar incidents in the past. This fire comes months after another outbreak in September 2025 that affected a high-rise office building within the same Balogun Market vicinity.
Fire have engulfed this building few years ago and it was reconstructed and rented out for commercial purposes