Two adult males have been recovered dead from the rubble of the Great Nigeria Insurance House on Lagos Island following Thursday’s devastating fire that razed the multi-storey building.
The bodies, whose identities had yet to be confirmed as of press time, were retrieved on Friday during ongoing search and rescue operations at the Marina axis of the state, where the 25-storey structure was severely damaged by the inferno.
The fire was reported to have started from the fourth floor of the building before spreading to the sixth floor and other sections, eventually affecting adjoining structures in the area.
During the incident, part of the building collapsed, trapping some traders and occupants under the debris, while the fire also spread to nearby properties, including the Old Lagos Central Mosque.
Efforts to get official confirmation from the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, were unsuccessful as he had yet to respond to enquiries as of press time.
However, a LASEMA official, who spoke anonymously, confirmed the recovery of the bodies during the ongoing rescue exercise.
“Two bodies were recovered today during the search exercise. The first was found at about 11:03 a.m., while the second was recovered around 12:03 p.m.,” the official disclosed.
Emergency responders were said to be continuing search, recovery and safety operations at the scene to locate other possible victims and avert further risks in the area.