Six Injured, Flights Suspended as Fire Guts Lagos Airport

Six Injured, Flights Suspended as Fire Guts Lagos Airport

JOEL OLADELE

Six persons were injured and flight operations temporarily suspended on Monday after a fire broke out at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The incident occurred at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, prompting an emergency response and the temporary closure of the airspace in line with safety protocols.

In a statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said the fire appeared to have started in a server room located on the first floor of the terminal.

According to the agency, three women and three men sustained injuries in the incident, adding that all the victims were in stable condition, while one person was undergoing further medical evaluation.

FAAN also disclosed that 14 people were trapped in the airport’s control tower but were successfully rescued and evacuated by emergency, fire and security teams who remained on ground to manage the situation.

The fire damaged parts of the airport’s departures hall, which is currently undergoing renovation under a large-scale infrastructure upgrade project valued at about N712 billion.

While noting that the blaze was largely under control, FAAN said monitoring operations were ongoing to ensure the fire was fully contained.

“The airspace was temporarily closed in line with safety protocols,” the authority stated, adding that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was working to establish a temporary control tower to restore flight operations as quickly as possible.

The disruption affected international flights, with an Air France flight that departed Paris for Lagos around 3:00 p.m. forced to return to the French capital.

Earlier, FAAN provided an update on the situation, stating that emergency response efforts were ongoing and that firefighting teams were working to completely curtail the blaze while passengers and airport personnel were being evacuated in an orderly manner.

To strengthen response efforts, the authority activated mutual aid arrangements and sought reinforcements from the Lagos State Government, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, among other emergency bodies.

FAAN reassured the public that no loss of life had been recorded and that all necessary measures were being taken to safeguard lives and property.

It added that further verified updates would be communicated as the situation develops.