Market News
Lagos int’l airport inferno grounds passengers, sparks travel chaos - PUNCH
BY Sami Tunji, Olasunkanmi Akinlotan and Princess Etuk
A fire outbreak at the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday disrupted flight operations, stranded passengers, and triggered diversions, compounding travel delays and operational uncertainty across airlines.
It was also gathered that at least six persons were hospitalised after the fire outbreak engulfed Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, forcing the diversion of international flights, damaging airport equipment, and triggering a massive multi-agency emergency response.
The incident, which began around 3:00 pm, was still being battled by firefighters as of 7:00 pm when this report was filed, with thick smoke billowing from sections of the terminal.
Five ambulances were seen evacuating injured airport users to the airport hospital as emergency responders battled to contain the blaze. Beyond the injuries recorded, several pieces of operational equipment and airline properties were destroyed in the fire.
The affected terminal, part of the airport’s older infrastructure and currently undergoing renovation, had earlier been earmarked for total remodelling following the approval of N712bn by the Federal Executive Council for its rehabilitation.
About 12 staff members were reportedly trapped inside the control tower when the incident started. They were later rescued using a construction crane. Since the fire affected control tower operations, aircraft could neither land nor take off following the incident.
Speaking at the scene, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said the immediate priority was containment of the fire while investigations continue.
“In terms of investigations, absolutely. But I think what is critical is to make sure that the fire itself is controlled. Investigations are ongoing. What is important is that we activated our emergency operating procedures and got everybody out of the building with no fatality due to all of the coordination done by the agencies,” she said.
She disclosed that the airport’s Emergency Operations Centre had been activated, noting that “there is an airport manager who is the chief safety and chief security officer of the airport, and there is a standard procedure that we follow when it comes to emergencies. We have activated that procedure.”
She further explained that preliminary findings indicated the fire started from the ground floor before spreading upward. “From our investigation so far, the fire did start from the ground floor. We are awaiting confirmation. I cannot say more than that at this time,” she said.
She added that the flames escalated to the roof before emergency teams gained control, revealing that multiple agencies, including the police and rescue helicopters, supported evacuation efforts.
When asked whether the structure would still suffice for planned construction works, she said, “We do have professionals, civil and structural engineers, whose role is to assess the integrity of the structure once the fire has been contained to determine the next steps.”
Kuku confirmed that airport operations were partially affected, as most services had already moved to Terminal 2 ahead of planned rehabilitation works.
“Most of our departures and arrivals have already moved. We had three flights diverted, such as British Airways to Abuja, Lufthansa to Malabo, and Emirates as well,” she said. According to her, British Airways was diverted to Abuja, while Lufthansa and Emirates were diverted to Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.
Confirming the incident earlier, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, Henry Agbebire, said authorities were on the ground managing the situation.
“We are aware of the outbreak, and we are there right now. We will publish a statement right now,” he said. “Our firefighting team is currently responding and working to curtail the situation,” Agbebire added.
He assured the public that there were no fatalities. “No loss of lives has been recorded. Further updates will be recorded,” he said.
Meanwhile, Air Peace announced the temporary closure of the Lagos airfield following the fire outbreak at the International Wing (Old Terminal) of the airport.
In a statement issued on Monday, the airline said, “Air Peace wishes to inform our valued passengers and the general public of the temporary closure of the Lagos (LOS) airfield following a fire outbreak at the International Wing (Old Terminal) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport earlier today.
“Airport authorities have suspended operations at the airfield to enable emergency responders contain the situation and safeguard airport users and infrastructure. Consequently, inbound and outbound flights across our network are experiencing delays pending the reopening of the airfield and restoration of normal operations.
“We empathise with passengers affected by this development and assure the public that we are working closely with relevant airport authorities while closely monitoring the situation. Passenger safety and operational integrity remain our highest priorities. Further updates will be provided as soon as verified information becomes available. We sincerely appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued trust in Air Peace.”
As of the time of filing this report, efforts were ongoing to fully contain the fire and assess the extent of damage, while airlines continued to adjust operations in line with directives from airport authorities.
