THE death toll from Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers, a six-story commercial complex on Broad Street, Lagos Island, has climbed to 10.
Among the dead are four staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and six employees of United Capital Plc. Both organisations confirmed the losses in separate statements.
The fire, which eyewitnesses said began around 1:30 p.m. in the building’s basement inverter room, sent thick smoke through the tower, forcing trapped workers to smash windows and scramble to safety.
Emergency responders, including the Federal Fire Service and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, battled the blaze for hours, rescued nine people, five of whom were revived at the scene. Others were rushed to hospitals across Lagos, where doctors confirmed multiple fatalities.
At the FIRS, casualties were identified as Ekelikhostse George (Assistant Director), David Sunday-Jatto (Assistant Director), Nkem Onyemelukwe (Senior Manager), and Peter Ifaranmaye (Manager).
The tax agency said the deceased were working on the sixth and seventh floors when the fire spread through the building.
“It is with a heavy heart that FIRS announces the tragic loss of four of its staff members,” the agency said, praising emergency teams for their swift intervention but calling for a full probe into the incident.
United Capital Plc, which lost six employees occupying its third and fourth floor offices, described the tragedy as “an immeasurable void.” The company announced plans for a memorial service to honour the deceased, saying, “Our departed colleagues were an integral part of our family. Their painful loss leaves us shattered.”
The ICIR reported that the chairman of United Capital Plc, Tony Elumelu, on Wednesday, September 16, said he was devastated by the incident.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has condoled with the bereaved families, as well as to FIRS, United Capital, and Afriland Properties Limited, which manages the tower.
In a message through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu praised first responders for their “quick intervention” and urged more vigilance and training to prevent future disasters.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. While officials have yet to release a definitive report. Early accounts suggest that an electrical fault in the inverter room might have triggered the inferno.
Earlier this year, The ICIR reported a troubling rise in fire outbreaks across Lagos businesses, especially markets, linking the trend to aging infrastructure, poor safety compliance, and weak regulatory enforcement.
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