Seven persons sustained various degrees of burns in the Wednesday fire incident at 22-storey building of Great Nigeria Insurance House in Lagos, Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr Oke- Osanyitolu, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.
The inferno engulfed the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House, spreading rapidly to nearby structures, including a mosque and sections of Oluwole Plaza, before emergency responders succeeded in containing it.
In an update issued on December 25, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, confirmed that coordinated efforts by multiple response teams prevented the inferno from escalating further.
The Director-General of LASEMA, Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that the fire, which broke out on December 24, was successfully contained after extensive firefighting and dampening operations.
“The fire has now been contained by the combined efforts of responders at the scene,” the update noted, adding that the section of the mosque affected by the blaze had been brought under control, while Oluwole Plaza was largely salvaged.
Preliminary findings from LASEMA’s Shark Response Team indicated that the fire originated from an apartment on the fourth floor of the building before spreading swiftly to other parts.
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Investigators said the blaze gained momentum, moving upward from the fourth floor to the sixth floor and threatening more sections of the 22-storey structure before firefighters halted its advance.
The incident left seven adult males with varying degrees of burn injuries. They received immediate medical attention from paramedics at the scene and were later taken to nearby hospitals for further treatment.
In addition, three males and two females were treated on-site for smoke inhalation and discharged after receiving first aid.
Emergency responders also confirmed that most goods and stalls in the affected areas of Oluwole Plaza were saved, while the seven-storey Radio Nigeria building opposite the insurance house was protected from major damage.
Dampening operations continued at the scene to prevent a resurgence of the inferno as authorities carried out further assessments of the damage and safety of the affected structures.
The Cable
