The fire broke out on Wednesday evening, December 24, at approximately 5:00 p.m. and burned for several hours into Thursday before finally being brought under control on Christmas Day. What started on a lower floor of the 25-storey building rapidly spread upward and outward, eventually engulfing at least five adjacent structures, including the historic Old Lagos Central Mosque.
In a statement released on Thursday via X, Controller General Margaret Adeseye of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said emergency responders received the distress call at 4:41 p.m. and arrived on scene by 4:53 p.m. Fire crews from Ebute Elefun and Dolphin stations responded immediately, with additional support from Sari Iganmu, Bolade, Isolo, and the Alausa headquarters.
Adeseye attributed the difficulty in containing the fire to several factors: improper storage methods, the abundance of highly flammable materials, restricted access to the fire scene, and the interconnected design of surrounding buildings. She explained that the affected structures primarily served as warehouses for clothing materials, along with offices and retail spaces, which fueled the flames and accelerated the fire’s spread.