The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has said the fire incident at the Muritala Mohammed Airport on Thursday was due to the melting of some electrical panels in a room on the second floor of the airport terminal.
A statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by FAAN said that preliminary investigation “reveals that the incident was caused by a short circuit at the panel room which was quickly arrested by the engineers on duty.”
FAAN spokesman, Yakubu Dati, who signed the statement, allayed the fears of the public about any threat to passengers, noting that the authority had directed the Directorate of Engineering and Maintenance to commence immediate investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the said short- circuiting of the cables.
From various eye witness accounts, smoke was said to have engulfed one of the buildings at the airport, causing intending travellers and workers to run for safety.
However, the fire lasted for about 15 minutes before it could be put out by firemen for the airport fire department.