February 23, (THEWILL) — Panic and pandemonium broke out among airport workers and passengers on Monday following a fire outbreak that engulfed sections of the fourth and fifth floors of Terminal One at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The incident triggered a massive emergency response and led to a temporary disruption of flight operations at Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub.
Workers and facility users were thrown into confusion as smoke billowed from the terminal before officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) waded in to manage the crisis.
As a result of the emergency, inbound flights to Lagos from other airports were instructed to delay departures until the situation stabilized, while aircraft already approaching the city were required to remain airborne pending clearance to land.
Fire and rescue teams from FAAN worked throughout the evening to battle the blaze and prevent it from spreading further through the terminal, which is currently undergoing remodeling.
Confirming the incident, the agency issued an official statement on Monday evening to provide an update on the situation.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hereby provides an update on the fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Emergency response operations are ongoing as our firefighting teams continue efforts to fully contain and curtail the fire, while the orderly evacuation of passengers and airport personnel is in progress,” the statement read.
To bolster its response, the authority activated mutual aid arrangements, calling for reinforcements from the Lagos State Government, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.
“We wish to reassure the public that no loss of life has been recorded at this time, and all necessary measures are being taken to safeguard lives and property,” the authority stated, adding that it would continue to monitor the scene until normalcy is fully restored.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
