The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, has stated that emergency procedures have been activated to contain fire outbreak that affected parts of the terminal one and the Control Tower of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
She said the fire outbreak led to a temporary disruption of activities at Terminal 1 of the MMIA as a rescue mission was embarked upon to ensure safe evacuation of occupants
Minor Injuries
Fourteen persons trapped in the Control Tower were rescued, while six individuals sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition while one of the injured was taken to the FAAN Headquarters Hospital for further evaluation.
Preliminary findings indicate the fire originated from the server room on the first floor and later escalated to the roof before being largely contained.
Responded Swiftly
Firefighters from FAAN and Lagos State Emergency Services, supported by other security agencies and aerial assistance, responded swiftly.
A crane was deployed for rescue operations, while the sixth floor of the facility was evacuated as a precaution.
Structural engineers will assess the building’s integrity as the incidence led to the diversion of three international flights — British Airways to Abuja, Lufthansa to Malabo, and Emirates to an alternate destination -while airspace was temporarily closed.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is working to establish a temporary Control Tower to restore full operations.
FAAN clarified that although renovation works are ongoing within the airport premises, no construction was taking place in the affected area at the time.
Limited Impact
With most operations already moved to Terminal 2 and a temporary terminal nearing activation, the broader impact was limited.
FAAN assured passengers that normal operations would resume shortly and pledged to provide further updates as investigations continue.