Seven Dead, Dozens Injured in Lagos Island Fire Outbreaks

At least seven people have been confirmed dead following Tuesday’s fire at the Afriland Tower on Broad Street, Lagos Island.

The victims, who were rescued from the high-rise and rushed to different hospitals, later succumbed to their injuries. Doctors are still battling to save several others.

The blaze at Afriland Tower was one of two separate infernos that hit the Lagos Island Business District within hours.

While the tower fire left multiple casualties and destroyed offices, a second outbreak gutted Mandilas Market and adjoining plazas on Taiwo Street, wiping out goods worth millions of naira.

Eyewitnesses said thick smoke erupted around 1:45 p.m. from the tower’s lower section near the transformer area, forcing panic among occupants.

Some trapped individuals attempted to jump from upper floors, while residents and passersby used ladders to assist others before firefighters arrived. Several sustained injuries in the process.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that 11 people were evacuated from the tower, with five successfully resuscitated.

However, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) later announced that four of its staff working on the sixth and seventh floors—Mrs. Ekelikhostse George, Mr. David Sunday-Jatto, Mrs. Nkem Onyemelukwe, and Mr. Peter Ifaranmaye—were among those who lost their lives.

In a statement, FIRS described the deaths as a tragic loss, noting that its security and safety unit had immediately contacted emergency responders when the fire broke out. Management pledged to cooperate with relevant authorities to determine the cause of the incident.

UBA, which also operates in the tower, has yet to confirm staff casualties.

However, Heirs Holdings Chairman, Tony Elumelu, mourned the loss of some employees in an internal message, calling the tragedy “devastating.” He cut short a U.S. trip to return to Lagos, promising that a memorial service would be held for the victims.

Government officials confirmed that the fatalities occurred across three hospitals: General Hospital, Odan; St. Nicholas Hospital, Campbell Street; and Avon Hospital, Surulere. Four others remain hospitalised.

Scenes at the tower on Wednesday were somber, with security operatives sealing off the building. Traders and bystanders recounted how improvised rescue efforts—ranging from water sprays to foam cushions—were used before the state and federal fire services arrived.

Barely hours after the Afriland Tower fire, another inferno swept through Mandilas Market and three adjoining plazas—Central Plaza, Yol Plaza, and Obama & AO Building—destroying more than 1,000 shops.

Traders who rushed back to salvage their goods were kept behind barricades as firefighters continued damping operations.

Afriland Properties Plc, owners of the tower, confirmed the incident in a statement, dismissing earlier reports that UBA headquarters had been engulfed.

As smoke still rose from both sites on Wednesday, business activity resumed cautiously around the business district, but grief, anger, and unanswered questions lingered among victims, relatives, and traders.