Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has sympathised with immediate families, organisations, and Lagosians who lost their loved ones and goods in Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street in the Lagos Island area of the State.
The Governor, who described the fire outbreak as unfortunate, said he was shocked by the ugly incident that claimed lives and destroyed property.
Governor Sanwo-Olu commiserated with the management and staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and United Capital PLC, a financial and investment services firm, who lost four and six staff members respectively in the tragedy.
The Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the Governor, on behalf of the Lagos State Government, genuinely shares their grief.
He said: *“The fire incident at Afriland Towers in Broad Street was worrisome and a significant loss to Lagos State Government, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), United Capital PLC and other companies and individuals, with property worth millions of Naira destroyed.
It is with a heavy heart that I received news of the fire outbreak. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and the management and staff of all the organisations that lost their loved ones in the ugly incident. I wish the injured persons a speedy recovery.”*
The Governor also extended his deepest sympathies to traders at the Central Plaza, near Mandilas Market, who lost valuable assets and goods worth millions of naira in the inferno. He pledged the government’s continued support for the prevention of such disasters in the future.
Sanwo-Olu further commended the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Federal Fire Service, and other first responders for their swift intervention, which helped to contain the fire and reduce casualties.
Background Information About the Incident
The tragic fire outbreak occurred on Tuesday morning at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building situated on Broad Street, Lagos Island. The building houses several corporate offices, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and United Capital PLC, as well as private businesses.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire started from one of the upper floors and quickly spread to other parts of the building, trapping some workers inside. Thick smoke engulfed the area, forcing many occupants to scamper for safety while emergency responders battled to contain the flames.
The inferno claimed at least 10 lives—four from the FIRS and six from United Capital PLC—while several others sustained varying degrees of injury. Traders at the nearby Central Plaza, close to Mandilas Market, were also affected, as the fire spread and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, supported by LASEMA, LASAMBUS, and the Federal Fire Service, deployed multiple fire trucks and ambulances to the scene. Their swift response helped prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings and reduced the casualty figures.
Although the exact cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed, preliminary reports suggest it may have been triggered by an electrical fault. Investigations are still ongoing.
