Passengers and airport users were thrown into panic on Wednesday as
fire engulfed one of the offices at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Lagos.
It was learnt that the fire occurred at the E-Arrival Wing of the
terminal, disrupting flight activities and triggering panic among
passengers as they fled the international terminal.
Firefighters and aviation security officials were immediately deployed
in the wing where the incident occurred.
Some security officials also assisted in evacuating some passengers
from the terminal to avoid stampede.
Findings by our correspondents showed that the fire started in the
office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at about 1pm.
It was said no big loss was suffered as a result of the incident.
An airport worker, Mr. Titus Nwoke, said the fire was quickly
contained by relevant authorities.
He said, "I just heard people shouting, 'fire fire', from my office.
When I came out, I found out that people were already running
helter-skelter.
"Although I cannot really say what caused the fire, I know it was from
an office in the E-wing of the terminal, most likely the NDLEA office.
"Security operatives were very cooperative and calm in evacuating
people from the affected area, and the fire was contained in no time."
The General Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said it was a minor fire.
Later, in a statement, he said, "There was a minor smoke incident at
the "E" arrival wing of the International terminal of the MMIA at
about 1.13pm today (Wednesday).
"The smoke was quickly traced to some offices at the E wing on the
ground floor of the terminal by a combined team of FAAN's electrical
engineers and fire officers."
He added that Investigations had commenced to ascertain the real cause
of the fire.
Traders lose in fire
Balogun Market
A night fire in the Balogun Market on the Lagos Island has destroyed
property estimated at billions of naira.
Eight lock-up shops stored with bags, shoes and textile materials were razed.
PUNCH Metrolearnt that as the fire raged into the early hours of
Wednesday, a building beside the market, which had petrochemical
products, collapsed under the intensity of the fire.
Punch correspondent was told that the fire was caused by an electrical surge.
Firemen from the Lagos State Fire Service later arrived at the scene
around 12am and combated the inferno till 4am Wednesday.
The smokes were finally put out around 11am.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire service, Rasak Fadipe, said three
fire stations were deployed in the scene of the incident.
He said, "We were called to the scene around 12.03am, although we were
told the fire had started about an hour before we were called. We
responded with four water tankers, each with 10,000 litres of water
from the Alausa, Onikan and Sari Iganmu divisions.
"Eight lock-up shops stored with bags, textile materials and shoes
were burnt and a storey building even collapsed due to the ferocity of
the fire. The building was for commercial purpose."
Fadipe advised residents of the state to report people storing
inflammable materials in their homes.
"We discovered that there were generators everywhere, and that
contributed to the problem.
"If they had a central power system, that probably could have lessened
the effect of the fire outbreak.
"It is also important for residents to raise the alarm when they see
people storing petrochemical products in their localities.
"We should report them to the law enforcement agents because when the
effect will come, it will not be palatable to anybody," he added.
--PUNCH
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