Lagos sets up demolition committee after deadly GNI building fire

The Lagos State Government has set up a Technical Recovery and Demolition Committee to oversee the safe demolition of the fire-ravaged Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Building in Lagos, as emergency agencies continue operations at the volatile site.

The decision followed a second on-site inspection by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on January 2, 2026, according to an update released on Friday by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.

The committee, chaired by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, has been mandated to design and implement “a controlled and safe demolition plan for the affected structure and its immediate surroundings in the shortest possible time”, with public and responder safety as the overriding priority.

Providing an update on conditions at the scene, the Fire and Rescue Service said emergency responders remain fully deployed, noting that the site remains highly unstable due to extensive rubble and weakened structural elements.

“The incident scene is highly sensitive and volatile, with substantial rubble still in place,” the service said in a statement signed by its Controller General, Margaret Adeseye.

It explained that intermittent fires are still being recorded within the debris, largely from combustible materials such as textiles and clothing stored inside the building, rather than from the structure itself.

“These materials are buried deep within the debris, and accessing them requires extreme caution and specialised technical planning,” the statement said.

The agency clarified that while the remaining fire pockets do not pose immediate danger to surrounding areas, uncoordinated debris removal could trigger a collapse of the already compromised structure.

“The fire has significantly weakened the building’s foundation, rendering it structurally unsafe and unfit for any use,” it said, adding that some rubble may currently be providing unintended structural support.

For this reason, officials stressed that all actions are being carried out in line with international disaster response standards. “Rescuer safety precedes all other actions,” the service said, warning that large-scale incidents of this nature can take weeks or even months to fully resolve.

On public safety, authorities confirmed that the affected market and surrounding areas remain closed, with access restricted to authorised emergency personnel. An information centre has also been established at the site to respond to enquiries from families, traders and other stakeholders.

On casualties, the Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that eight people have died, with five identified and three yet to be identified, while 13 others were rescued alive. Search operations are ongoing in safer sections of the debris to ensure no one remains trapped.

Preliminary assessments have also pointed to serious fire safety lapses within the building.

“These include overstocking of combustible materials from floor to ceiling with little or no ventilation, absence of proper fire safety infrastructure, and unsafe practices such as generator use within buildings and shops constructed around transformers,” the service said.

According to officials, such conditions could result in heat build-up and spontaneous ignition even without an external trigger.

Reassuring the public , Adeseye, said operations at the site would continue until all risks are eliminated.

“All actions being taken are deliberate, professional and safety-driven,” she said. “Operations will continue until ground zero is fully reached and the incident is conclusively resolved.”