Several bodies have been recovered from the ruins of the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, as a raging fire continues to burn days after part of the building collapsed.

 

The incident, which has thrown the busy commercial area into panic, is still unfolding, with fears that more people may be trapped beneath the rubble.

 

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, emergency response teams were seen rushing to retrieve bodies trapped inside the collapsed structure and loading them into an emergency van.

 

The footage shows responders working amid smoke and debris as the fire continues to smoulder.

 

An eyewitness, a woman speaking from the scene, said the fire had been burning for days and that the collapse caused widespread fear in the area.

 

“And this is day seven, the fire is still burning. Actually, a building collapsed. There are two fire service vehicles on ground. I can still see the place that collapsed. I pray this thing stays, because the way the thing collapsed, so many buildings shook. See the place that is burning—still burning,” she said.

 

On December 24, 2025, SaharaReporters reported that commercial activities around Martins Street on Lagos Island were thrown into uncertainty on Wednesday as emergency responders battled a fire outbreak at the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a high-rise building widely used for warehousing clothing materials.

 

The fire, which reportedly broke out at about 4.40pm, engulfed parts of the multi-storey plaza, raising concerns over the safety of goods stored in the building and the fate of occupants as rescue operations continued late into the evening.

 

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said there was no casualty in the incident.

 

“Lagos State Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at Great Nigeria Insurance House, Martins St., Lagos Island. Call received 16:41hrs; crews arrived 16:53hrs,” the service stated on its official X page.

 

“Fire affected up to 5th floor of a 25-storey building. No casualties. Firefighting ongoing.”