A fire outbreak on Tuesday gutted a six-storey building housing a branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and other offices on Broad Street, Lagos Island.
The incident, sparked panic among workers and passersby in the busy Marina business district.
The Federal Fire service confirmed that the fire started in the inverter room located in the basement of Afriland Tower before spreading through parts of the building.
”The Federal Fire Service is actively responding to a fire outbreak at Afriland Tower, Broad Street, Lagos Island, following a call received at 13:24 hrs. Upon receiving the alert, the Federal Fire Service stations at Onikan and Ebute Meta were immediately deployed to the scene. Preliminary findings indicate that the fire originated from the inverter room located at the basement level, with smoke rapidly spreading across multiple floors of the high-rise building”
”Federal Fire Service personnel swiftly commenced evacuation of occupants while simultaneously launching firefighting operations to contain the blaze. Their prompt action calmed panic and prevented the fire from escalating further. As of this release, crews remain on-site to ensure complete extinguishment of the fire, continuous monitoring, and the safety of the structure. Occupants are advised to remain calm and cooperate fully with emergency responders as operations continue”
Thick smoke quickly enveloped several floors, forcing occupants to scamper for safety as emergency responders were alerted.
Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes as some workers attempted to escape through windows, while others were rescued with the aid of ladders by concerned bystanders and officials. The fire service later announced that the situation had been brought under control.
Clarifying early reports, UBA stated that its head office on Marina was not affected by the incident. The bank explained that the affected structure was Afriland Tower on Broad Street, which houses one of its branches as well as offices of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The clarification was issued to dispel rumours that the fire had engulfed UBA’s headquarters.
Authorities confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident. While no serious injuries have been officially recorded, emergency teams remained on the ground to ensure the safety of occupants and to carry out mop-up operations. Investigations have also commenced to determine the immediate cause of the fire.
RN
