BY GODWIN OBI
Tragedy struck on Tuesday when a fire engulfed the Afriland Tower in the Lagos Island business district, claiming at least seven lives and leaving several others injured.
The victims, many of whom were rescued by passersby and emergency workers, later succumbed to their injuries at hospitals across the state. Doctors are still battling to save others who remain in critical condition.
The inferno, which began at Afriland Tower in Marina, was one of two separate blazes that rocked the Lagos Island commercial hub the same day. The second fire gutted Mandilas Market and adjoining plazas on Taiwo Street, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
A Day of Panic and Pain
Videos circulating on social media and confirmed by Frontline Reporters captured the chaos as trapped occupants of Afriland Tower screamed for help. Some leapt from upper floors, while others clung to ladders hastily raised by residents and passersby before firefighters arrived.
Many sustained serious injuries in these desperate attempts to escape.
“The first thing I saw was thick black smoke. It was coming from beneath the building near the transformer. Then we heard cries for help. Some people jumped… it was terrible,” said Abubakar, an eyewitness.
Another trader, Itunnu Adebisi, who runs a stall opposite the tower, said she initially mistook the smoke for a generator fault until it became overpowering.
Confirmed Casualties
An official of the Lagos State Government confirmed to Frontline Reporters that seven casualties had been recorded across three hospitals—General Hospital, Odan; St Nicholas Hospital, Campbell Street; and Avon Hospital, Surulere.
Among the deceased were four staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) who were working on the sixth and seventh floors of the tower. They were identified as:
- Mrs. Ekelikhostse George (Assistant Director)
- Mr. David Sunday-Jatto (Assistant Director)
- Mrs. Nkem Onyemelukwe (Senior Manager)
- Mr. Peter Ifaranmaye (Manager)
In a sorrowful statement, the FIRS described their passing as a devastating blow.
“It is with a heavy heart that FIRS announces the tragic loss of four of its staff members during the fire incident… Our Security and Safety officials quickly mobilised and contacted the fire service, but thick smoke had already consumed the building,” the statement read.
Corporate and Personal Grief
The tragedy also touched the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which operates from the tower. While the bank has yet to confirm the loss of its staff, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, expressed heartbreak in an internal message to employees.
“I am shattered by yesterday’s devastating incident at Afriland Towers, which took the lives of our dear colleagues. No words can capture the magnitude of this loss—not for their families, not for their friends, and not for those of us who worked beside them,” he wrote.
Elumelu revealed he cut short his trip to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly to return to Lagos, promising a memorial and continued support for the families of the deceased.
Emergency Response and Criticism
Witnesses told Frontline Reporters that UBA’s in-house fire team was the first to respond, with the Lagos State Fire Service and Federal Fire Service arriving later. Response times remain a subject of debate, as many victims had already been evacuated by volunteers before official teams arrived.
The Deputy Controller of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Ogabi Olajide, confirmed that 11 people were evacuated and five were successfully resuscitated.
Aftermath
On Wednesday, Frontline Reporters visited Afriland Tower. The usually bustling glass high-rise stood eerily silent, cordoned off by security operatives. A few staff hurried past barricades, while nearby traders cautiously resumed business under the watch of patrolling policemen.
Afriland Properties Plc, which owns the tower, confirmed the incident in a statement, clarifying that while the blaze affected its headquarters, viral claims that UBA’s head office was gutted were inaccurate.
What remains, however, is a deep sense of grief. Families are mourning, colleagues are shattered, and survivors are still battling for their lives. For many, the Afriland Tower fire was not just another disaster—it was a reminder of how fragile life is, and how quickly ordinary workdays can turn into unimaginable tragedy.
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2025-09-18
