An undisclosed number of traders are feared trapped after a fire gutted the fifth floor of a popular plaza known as Great Nigeria Insurance House at Balogun Market on Wednesday.

An eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Sola, said the fire broke out at about 5 p.m., causing panic and a stampede as thick smoke filled the building. According to him, the blaze started on the upper floors, trapping several traders who were unable to escape in time.

The plaza is widely known for the sale of clothing and shoes for both children and adults. Videos from the scene showed thick black smoke billowing from the high-rise building as fire service trucks rushed in to contain the situation.

Sola explained that the fire initially appeared to subside after starting as smoke but later intensified suddenly. He added that some people, including a woman who had previously lost her shop and parking space to an earlier incident, were trapped on the upper floors.

Confirming the incident, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the fire began on the fourth floor of the 22-storey building and spread rapidly to the sixth floor. He noted that the number of casualties could not be determined as rescue and firefighting operations were still ongoing.

Similarly, the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, stated that the fire was affecting up to the fifth floor of the building, which is largely used for warehouse storage and the sale of clothing materials, alongside corporate offices and shops. She added that no casualties had been recorded so far.

As of the time of filing this report, emergency responders were still battling the fire while rescue efforts continued.