Lagos Island is reeling from grief after the devastating fire that engulfed Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial hub on Broad Street, claimed at least 10 lives, with fears that the toll could rise further.
United Capital Plc, one of the tower’s major occupants, on Thursday, September 18, 2025, confirmed the deaths of six employees, barely hours after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) announced it had lost four of its staff in the same inferno.
The tragedy, which unfolded on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, has now gone down as one of Lagos’ deadliest high-rise fire disasters in recent years.
Preliminary reports suggest that the inferno began in the inverter room in the basement around 1:30 pm, unleashing thick black smoke that rapidly spread through the building. Within minutes, panic gripped occupants of the tower, with many desperately forcing open windows to escape the choking fumes. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of workers leaping for their lives as firefighters battled the blaze.
Emergency teams from the Federal Fire Service, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other agencies launched a massive rescue operation.
At least nine individuals were pulled out of the smoke-filled building, five were resuscitated, while four remained unconscious.
“Several others escaped unhurt, but efforts are ongoing to revive those still unconscious,” the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had disclosed in a preliminary statement on Tuesday, warning of possible fatalities.
Those fears have now been grimly confirmed.
In a heart-wrenching statement, United Capital Plc expressed profound sorrow over the loss of its staff:
“It is with profound grief that the Management and Staff of United Capital Plc announce the passing of six of our dear colleagues, following the tragic fire at Afriland Towers.
“Our departed colleagues were an integral part of our company and family. Their painful loss leaves an immeasurable void. We extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, as we continue to provide support during this most difficult time.”
The company added that preparations are underway for a solemn memorial service to honour the fallen staff, while appreciating emergency workers who risked their lives to contain the blaze.
For Lagos residents and workers on Broad Street, the incident has left a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking in commercial high-rises.
Survivors described the ordeal as a “nightmare,” with some still shaken by the sight of colleagues collapsing in the suffocating smoke.
Authorities have yet to release an official casualty figure, but multiple company insiders and eyewitnesses insist that “not everyone made it out alive.”
As investigations continue into the exact cause of the fire, suspected to be triggered by an inverter explosion, families of the victims are left mourning loved ones who went to work on Tuesday but never returned home.
For Lagos, the Afriland Towers inferno is not just another tragedy; it is a searing reminder of the fragility of life, the urgency of workplace safety, and the heroism of first responders who braved the flames in a desperate bid to save lives.
