The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has dismissed as false a video circulating on social media claiming that additional victims were rescued alive during evacuation operations at the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House fire incident.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Controller General of the service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, the agency clarified that the fire outbreak occurred on Tuesday, December 24, 2025, at the 25-storey GNI House and spread to five adjoining buildings.
According to the statement, coordinated emergency response efforts confirmed eight fatalities from the incident—five identified victims and three yet to be identified—while 13 persons were rescued alive.
The service explained that the viral video, which surfaced within 24 hours of the incident on Thursday, December 25, 2025 and not after 11 days as claimed a vital video on Tuesday January 6. The statement says it is misleading and does not reflect the situation at the scene of the fire.
Adeseye assured the public that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, alongside other emergency agencies, remains fully deployed at the location to carry out necessary operations and safeguard lives and property.
She urged members of the public to ignore unverified reports and rely only on official updates from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service for accurate information on the incident.