A grieving relative of the three brothers who lost their lives in the devastating fire at the Great Nigeria House on Lagos Island has given a detailed account of the tragic events that unfolded on the day of the incident.
Speaking with a correspondent of The Punch, Mimi Nonyerem, a cousin of the deceased brothers Stephen, Casmir, and Collins Omatu, described the men as more than just cousins, saying they were raised together like siblings after the death of their mother 27 years ago. According to her, their close bond extended beyond family ties into business and daily life, as they worked side by side to build a livelihood together.
Nonyerem explained that the brothers were traders who dealt mainly in the importation and sale of shoes, handbags, and fabrics. Their business, popularly known as Mr Classy, was well known in Balogun Market and jointly managed by the brothers. On December 24, all of them were present at their shop at the Great Nigeria House when the fire broke out. Casmir, who was based in Niger State, had travelled to Lagos to assist with the busy festive sales period. He had only recently gotten married, and his wife is currently pregnant.
She recalled that the brothers had faced significant setbacks in the past but remained resilient. In 2023, they lost a warehouse to another unfortunate incident, which dealt a heavy blow to their business. Despite the loss, they worked hard to rebuild and eventually secured a shop space at the Great Nigeria House. Goods imported earlier in December were being sorted and arranged in preparation for sales expected to begin in January.
According to Nonyerem, the fire initially appeared as light smoke around 3.30 pm on December 24. At the time, it did not seem severe enough to cause immediate alarm. However, as the evening progressed, she became increasingly worried after receiving a call indicating that the plaza was on fire. Concerned, she repeatedly tried to reach her cousins. When she eventually spoke with Collins on the phone, he reassured her that the situation was under control and that they were in the process of evacuating their goods.
Tragically, by the early hours of Christmas Day, it became clear that something had gone terribly wrong. The family realised that Stephen, Casmir, and Collins could not be located. Alarmed, Nonyerem rushed to the scene, where she learned that the men had gone upstairs in an attempt to salvage more items as the fire spread rapidly from the upper floors of the building.
One of the brothers, Camillus, narrowly escaped death after being sent out earlier to buy sacks to help pack goods. That decision, Nonyerem said, ultimately saved his life. While Camillus was away on the errand, a sudden and deafening explosion reportedly tore through the building, cutting off access to the staircase and making escape nearly impossible.
She was informed that as the fire intensified and flames reached the staircase, a neighbour who had been assisting the brothers warned that it was no longer safe to go upstairs. Despite the warning, Stephen, Casmir, and Collins were still trapped inside the building as thick smoke and fire spread rapidly.
Nonyerem further recounted that Collins, one of the twins, had initially been on his way out of the building. However, when he reached the staircase and saw how quickly the fire was advancing, he dropped the bag he was carrying and ran back upstairs to alert his brothers and urge them to escape. That selfless decision proved fatal, as he would likely have survived had he continued out of the building.
When Camillus returned to the scene and realised the severity of the situation, he ignored the flames and rushed toward the building, repeatedly calling out to his brothers. However, the smoke had become so thick that it severely impaired his vision and made it impossible for him to go any further inside. Overwhelmed and unable to help, he was forced to retreat and could only watch helplessly as the fire engulfed the structure with his siblings still trapped within.
Casmir, who had travelled from Niger State to support the family business during the busy December trading season, also died in the inferno. Camillus remains the only surviving twin, having lost his brother Collins in the tragic incident.
The fire has left the family devastated and has raised renewed concerns about fire safety and emergency response measures in commercial buildings on Lagos Island, particularly in densely populated markets where traders often risk their lives in a bid to save their livelihoods.
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