Tragedy struck in the Balogun Market area of Lagos Island after emergency responders recovered the remains of three victims from the rubble of the Great Nigeria Insurance House plaza, which was engulfed by a massive fire outbreak earlier in the week.
Among the deceased was a China-based clothier identified simply as Obum, alongside another male and a female victim.
The inferno reportedly began on the fourth floor of the towering 25–storey building on Wednesday before rapidly spreading to the upper floors and nearby structures. During the chaos, a detached section of the plaza weakened by the fire collapsed, trapping several traders and market assistants inside.
Sources revealed that the two male bodies were recovered on Friday at about 11:03am and 12:03pm, respectively.
Confirming the development, a trader, Zacheaus Afolayan, disclosed that one of the recovered bodies was later identified as that of Obum.
“When his body was released to us later in the day, we discovered it was Obum. His body was intact, and the family has taken him to Anambra for burial,” Afolayan said.
He further narrated that the deceased, whose shop was located behind the plaza, had managed to rescue most of his goods before tragedy struck.
“He had already evacuated almost everything when the fire was spreading. He only went back to pick the last set of goods when the section of the building collapsed on his store,” he explained.
In a heartbreaking revelation, Afolayan said Obum contacted him from beneath the rubble around 2am on Thursday, pleading for help and crying out in fear of losing his life, especially because of his children. He reportedly called again later that afternoon but sounded weaker.
Meanwhile, families of other persons still feared trapped beneath the debris have appealed for intensified rescue efforts and additional support for emergency responders working tirelessly at the scene.
Rescue operations and investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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