Sanwo-Olu orders demolition of GNI Building after devastating fire

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government has marked the old Great Nigerian Insurance (GNI) building on Lagos Island for demolition following a massive fire outbreak that caused extensive structural damage and raised serious safety concerns.

Preliminary assessments conducted after the inferno revealed significant compromise to the multi-storey structure, including partial collapses, prompting authorities to declare the building unsafe and a potential danger to adjoining properties and residents.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday at Martin Street, Marina, Lagos Island, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the state government had constituted a technical committee to determine the safest and most effective method for pulling down the affected structure.

The committee, he disclosed, would be headed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and is expected to submit recommendations ahead of demolition works scheduled to begin within days.

The governor explained that the fire extended beyond the GNI building, damaging several neighbouring properties due to their close proximity.

According to him, two adjacent buildings suffered severe damage, while three others were partially affected.

Sanwo-Olu said emergency and safety agencies remain on ground to monitor the area and prevent further risks.

He noted that while the main fire had largely been subdued, pockets of flames and heavy smoke persisted, necessitating the evacuation of surrounding buildings.

“What we have now are pockets of fire that emergency responders are still addressing. The smoke continues to affect nearby buildings, which is why full evacuation of the area became necessary, given how closely clustered the structures are,” he said.

Reiterating concerns about the affected building, the governor disclosed that the 24- to 25-storey former insurance house had, over the last 10 to 15 years, been converted almost entirely into a warehousing facility rather than used as an office complex.

He added that the building had previously experienced one or two fire incidents, suggesting a recurring pattern of safety lapses.

“Virtually every floor had been turned into storage space. Initial reports indicate the fire started around the fourth and fifth floors, and our first responders were already on ground when the incident escalated,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

He confirmed that no fatalities were recorded, adding that between seven and 10 people were rescued and taken to hospital by ambulances operated by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

However, the fire caused two partial collapses within the main building and extensive damage to neighbouring structures.

The governor used the incident to caution traders and business owners to take fire safety more seriously, recalling a similar fire outbreak in the same area about three years ago.

He warned that Lagos had entered a high-risk period, as the dry months of January and February are typically prone to fire incidents.

According to him, the heightened risk is driven not only by human negligence but also by environmental factors, particularly the dry harmattan conditions, which enable fires to spread rapidly and become more difficult to control.

Meanwhile, the Federal Fire Service confirmed that firefighting operations were still ongoing. The Operational Commander, Musa Emmanuel, said the fire had not been fully extinguished as of the time of reporting due to the scale of the blaze and the density of surrounding buildings.

“This fire started yesterday and we are still battling with it. It has not yet been brought under control; it is a continuous operation,” Emmanuel said.

He added that preliminary observations showed that between three and four buildings had been affected, noting that investigations into the cause of the fire and assessment of losses would only begin after the situation had been fully contained.

“Our priority for now is saving lives and protecting property. The cause of the fire will be determined once the fire is completely out,” he said.