Workers trapped as fire guts major tower in Lagos

Many workers were trapped after a fire broke out at the Afriland Building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, Lagos, on Tuesday.

Many were seen scampering for safety as the fire raged.

The building located in Marina, a Central Business District of Lagos, houses a branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office, among other businesses.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation as of press time, while no casualties have been reported.

Some trapped workers in the building were seen jumping out of the towers while the rescue operation was underway.

The inferno, which started from the inverter room in the basement of the building, was being battled by firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service, who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident was reported.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation as of press time, while no casualties have been reported.

Some trapped workers in the building were seen jumping out of the towers while the rescue operation was underway.

The inferno, which started from the inverter room in the basement of the building, was being battled by firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service, who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident was reported.

Eyewitnesses report that they first sported the fire from one of the offices in the ground floor of the building and quickly spread to other parts, fueled by strong winds.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the State Fire and Rescue Service as well as other relevant authorities have been alerted and are on ground to coordinate the response efforts.

Ogabi Olajide, Deputy Controller General, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, in a statement issued on Tuesday, disclosed that the distressed call was received at 1.38pm and that Fire crews from Ebute Elefun Fire Station and Sari Iganmu Fire Station responded.

“The Fire originated in the inverter room located in the basement of the building while smoke has spread across multiple floors and engulfed the structure.

“Evacuation of occupants is in progress, while firefighting operations has been concluded dousing the earlier panic before the arrival of the first responders” he added.