Burial Arrangements Announced for Three Brothers Lost in Lagos Island High-Rise Fire

The three Omatu brothers who died in the devastating Christmas Eve fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance House in Lagos Island will be laid to rest on January 14, their family has announced.

A service of songs is scheduled for January 7 in Lagos, with the burial to follow a week later in Ihiala, Anambra State, according to their sister, Mimi Nonyerem.

The fire, which erupted just hours before Christmas Day, rapidly engulfed the 25-storey building and spread to adjacent structures, including a mosque and a plaza. The brothers—Steve (40), Casmir (39), and Collins (37)—were trapped inside and are believed to have perished in the blaze. Their twin, Camillus Omatu, narrowly escaped.

Nonyerem shared the funeral plans in a social media post, requesting prayers and the presence of loved ones. The family recently marked the posthumous birthday of Steve, expressing their grief online.

Preliminary reports from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency indicate the fire started on the fourth floor before spreading upward. While emergency responders worked for days to control the inferno, about 20 individuals are still reported missing and trapped under the rubble as of last Monday, with families continuing to search for their loved ones.