The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has debunked a viral video claiming that additional bodies were rescued alive during evacuation efforts at the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House fire in Lagos.

The Agency’s Controller General, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, refuted the claims in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

She described the video as false and misleading, stressing that it did not reflect the situation at the scene of the incident.

Adeseye said that the fire incident occurred on Dec. 24 at the 25-storey GNI House and spread to five adjoining buildings.

According to her, coordinated emergency response efforts led to the confirmation of eight fatalities, comprising five identified victims and three others yet to be identified.

She said that 13 people were successfully rescued alive.

The agency’s boss said that the misleading video surfaced within 24 hours of the incident, on Dec. 25, suggesting that more victims were evacuated alive after official rescue operations had concluded.

“The video currently being circulated is false and does not represent the current situation at the scene,” she said.

The Controller General urged the public to disregard unverified information.

She said that the agency remains fully on the ground in collaboration with other emergency responders to carry out further necessary actions and ensure public safety.

Adeseye advised residents to rely solely on official communications from the agency for accurate updates on the incident. (Vanguard)