The headquarters of the Christ Embassy Church, located at the Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos state, Sunday morning, went up in flames.
Our correspondent gathered that properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in the fire incident that occurred early in the morning at the headquarters of Christ Embassy in Lagos.
The church, which is headed by influential Pastor Chris Oyakhilome in Lagos garnered widespread attention, with multiple videos from the scene shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but presently there is confusion as members of the church are running helter- skelter with emergency responders to put out the fire.
The blaze, which erupted early in the day, prompted an immediate response from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
Currently, the area has been cordoned off by the police to ensure law and order.
Confirming the incident, the director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, stated that the emergency update of Christ Embassy Church fire incident occurred around 07:27 hours, a fire outbreak was reported at the Christ Embassy Church located on Billings Way, Ikeja. She stated that firefighting units from Alausa and Ikeja fire stations were promptly dispatched and they arrived at the scene by 07:36 hours.
She stated further that excavator is being used to pull down some parts of the building to ensure complete extinguishment and to prevent further structural collapse.
“The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and investigations are underway to ascertain its origin,” she said.
Reacting to the incident, the president and founder of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, during a live Sunday service at the church’s campground, Asese, said what happened was not an accident but an avenue for bigger and better things.
“Nothing happens in the life of a child of God by accident. During the 2001 Ikeja cantonment bombing incident, the building vibrated so much and we thought it was going to collapse,” he said.
