The Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed condolences to families, organizations, and traders who lost loved ones and property in Tuesday’s fire at Afriland Towers, a six-story commercial building on Broad Street in Lagos Island.
The fire, which spread to areas of the Central Plaza near Mandilas Market, killed numerous people and destroyed merchandise worth millions of naira.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu called the occurrence “unfortunate and shocking,” stressing that it was a significant loss for the state and affected institutions.
He expressed particular sympathy for the Federal Inland Revenue Service and United Capital PLC, which lost four and six employees, respectively.
“The fire incident at Afriland Towers in Broad Street was worrisome and a significant loss to the Lagos State Government, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, United Capital PLC, and other companies and individuals, with property worth millions of naira destroyed.
“It is with a heavy heart that I received news of the fire outbreak. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, the management, and the staff of all the organizations that lost their loved ones in the ugly incident. I wish the injured persons a speedy recovery,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Sanwo-Olu also expressed sympathy to traders in the Central Plaza who lost significant assets in the fire, promising that the government would improve fire safety procedures throughout the state.
He said, “The government will continue to support efforts aimed at preventing and swiftly arresting such ugly incidents in the future.”
Sanwo-Olu also commended emergency responders, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service, and the Federal Fire Service, for their rapid intervention, which, he said, helped reduce the number of casualties.
Chronicle NG reports that on Tuesday, a devastating fire broke out at Afriland Towers, a six-story commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island. The inferno quickly spread to nearby parts of Central Plaza, close to Mandilas Market, causing massive destruction of property and goods worth millions of naira.
According to authorities, four Federal Inland Revenue Service employees, who work on the sixth and seventh floors of the building, died. Others died in hospitals around the state after being rushed from the blaze.
President Bola Tinubu has issued a statement expressing his sympathies to the victims’ families, as well as the management and staff of FIRS, United Capital, and United Bank for Africa, for the loss of life and injuries.
He also praised the emergency responders—firefighters, medical workers, first aiders, and members of the public—for their rapid response during the evacuation attempts.
Tinubu recommended enhanced vigilance, better training, and greater alertness to avert such situations in the future, while also praying for the souls of those who died and the healing of those injured.
