At least ten people have been confirmed dead while 25 others sustained various degrees of injury after a fire gutted a high-rise building in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub.
Videos shared on social media captured desperate scenes as occupants of the seven-storey Afriland Towers leapt from the third and fourth floors to escape the blaze.
The victims, mostly commercial workers, were trapped in the building which hosts several major companies and organisations in the city. Survivors sustained burns, fractures and smoke inhalation injuries in their bid to escape.
Authorities explained that rapid smoke spread and lack of evacuation guidance disoriented the occupants. Some broke windows and jumped to safety, resulting in severe trauma.
A trader, Chukwuemeka Eze, who witnessed the incident, recounted the harrowing experience to the BBC. “It was scary, some jumped from up there, many people inside were so scared to jump down, we got a wooden ladder to assist them,” he said.
In a statement, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (Lasema) said the fire, which raged for hours, started in the basement where electrical equipment was housed. The agency suspects poor maintenance and inadequate ventilation in the inverter battery area led to overheating and combustion.
The statement further revealed that the absence of mechanical smoke extraction systems, malfunctioning public address systems and inadequate safety signage worsened the situation. It added that sealed windows and the collapse of facility managers during the incident left no safety wardens to guide evacuation.
Although the fire was eventually extinguished, thick black smoke engulfed the entire building.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has described the tragedy as unfortunate and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, the Federal Fire Service has launched a full investigation into the causes of the incident, including the state of safety systems and compliance with regulations. Authorities have pledged to make the findings public and implement all recommendations.
Source: bbc.com
