The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has successfully contained a fire incident at the Bogobiri House, Ikoyi. This was confirmed in a statement signed and posted by the agency’s director, Margaret Adeseye, on X on Saturday evening.
“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has extinguished the fire that erupted at Bogobiri House, 9 Maitama Sule Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, at approximately 20:06 hours,” Adeseye stated.
“The one-storey building, used as a hotel, had its upper floor catch fire before the intervention of the Dolphin and Ebute Elefun Fire Crews of the agency, who successfully quelled the blaze.”
According to the statement, the agency’s officers confined the fire to the floor from which it originated, saving the rest of the building and adjacent property.
The director added that the operation concluded without any casualties and that an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
A culture journalist, photographer and artist, Bolaji Alonge recounted his account of the inferno in a Facebook post.
He wrote: “As we landed in Lagos last night, Bogobiri House was burning down due to a presumed electrical fault. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and the firefighters contained the fire so no other buildings were affected.
“Bogobiri was our second home and while some of our things were lost in the fire, the consequences for its owners, staff and the art community in Lagos are immense. We got married there and have so many memories tied to this wonderful place and people. It feels surreal.”
A musician, Seun Olota who had performed at the venue described Bogobiri as a “home of comfort, inspiration, muse, performance, exhibition, artistry and artistic ignition.”
He wrote on Facebook: “In as much as we feel pained, we are consoled that there are no injuries and by the fact that artistes make beauty from nullness and give life from nothing, hence, artifacts from the remnants and beauty from the ashes thereof. The words of our elders say, “the King’s palace that got razed adds beauty to itself.”