What could be best described as tragedy has struck an Anambra community following the death of a man, Obumneme, popularly known as Nzeakaibeya, who reportedly returned to Nigeria from China to celebrate the Christmas season with his people, only to lose his life in a most painful and devastating way.

Obumneme, a native of Umuoji in Idemili North Local Government Area, was said to have died during an inferno that gutted the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a high-rise building on Lagos Island, on the eve of Christmas.

According to videos currently trending on social media, the deceased was trapped when parts of the building collapsed on him as he attempted to recover goods from the burning plaza.

Reports and eyewitness accounts currently circulating online revealed that the victim had initially succeeded in salvaging some goods from the building. However, he reportedly returned the second time to retrieve more goods when sections of the structure suddenly collapsed, trapping him inside; and he was unable to escape as the fire intensified.

This reporter, Izunna Okafor, also came across some heart-rending audio recordings accompanying the viral videos, which captured Obumneme’s last moments, including a distress call he had with his wife, during which he was heard crying out in pain and desperately asking for emergency help.

Also, in another voice note believably shared on a WhatsApp platform, his wife was heard crying out and pleading with people at the who were nearby the scene to assist in rescuing her husband. Sadly, no immediate help came, as the man was eventually burnt to death.

The incident also sparked emotional reactions online, with many netizens lamenting the regrettable absence or delayed arrival of emergency responders at the scene at the critical moment when the victim was still alive and calling for help.

The demise of Obumneme, who was described by many as a vibrant and enterprising young man, has thrown the Umuoji community into deep mourning, with residents and sympathizers expressing shock and grief over such a painful and sudden loss.

The highly tragic death occurred amid a larger disaster at the Great Nigeria Insurance House, where three bodies were also later recovered and eight persons rescued following the massive fire outbreak. The inferno reportedly destroyed goods worth billions of naira, leaving many importers and traders, including online vendors, devastated.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Nosa Okunbor, said the fire started around 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, originating from the fourth floor of the 25-storey building before spreading rapidly to other sections and nearby structures.

According to him, eight men, including a firefighter, were rescued with varying degrees of injuries and taken to hospitals, while five other victims who sustained minor injuries were treated at the scene and discharged. He added that the fire also affected adjoining buildings, including the Radio Nigeria building, Oluwole Plaza, the Old Lagos Central Mosque and other nearby structures, noting that most were, however, eventually salvaged through coordinated emergency efforts.

The LASEMA Spokesman said Emergency responders, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, worked through the night into Christmas Day to contain the blaze, with dampening operations continuing to prevent a re-ignition of the fire.