…Six Injured, Three International Flights Diverted
…FAAN says no fatalities recorded
By Yinka Giwa
A fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Monday afternoon disrupted flight operations and led to the diversion of three international flights.
The Airport Police Command said a distress call was received at about 3:45 p.m. via radio communication from the Aviation Security base station, triggering an immediate emergency response.
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, confirmed that no fatalities were recorded, but six persons sustained injuries during the incident.
According to her, flights operated by Emirates, British Airways and Lufthansa were diverted. British Airways was redirected to Abuja, Lufthansa to Malabo, while Emirates was also diverted as a precaution.
Kuku said the airport’s Emergency Operations Centre was activated immediately, with the airport manager leading the coordinated response as chief safety and security officer. She noted that established emergency procedures were followed, enabling the orderly evacuation of passengers and airport personnel.
“What is important is that we activated our emergency procedures and evacuated everyone with no fatalities due to coordinated efforts by all agencies,” she said.
Preliminary findings indicate that the fire started on the ground floor of Terminal 1 before escalating to the roof. Kuku clarified that although renovation works are ongoing at the airport, no construction activity was taking place in the specific area where the fire reportedly began.
She added that civil and structural engineers would assess the structural integrity of the building to determine the next course of action. Most departures were temporarily relocated to Terminal 2, while four airlines were scheduled to move into a temporary terminal facility described as ready for use.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said he travelled to Lagos following the incident and arrived at the airport around midnight to join FAAN’s management team in overseeing response efforts.
Keyamo commended FAAN personnel, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and other first responders for their swift activation of emergency protocols, which he said helped limit the impact of the fire. He directed that firefighters maintain an overnight vigil to ensure the fire was fully extinguished and announced plans to inspect the facility at dawn to assess the extent of damage.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Adeola, said officers secured the perimeter, managed crowd control and deployed a police helicopter to provide aerial support and assist with evacuation where necessary.
FAAN earlier confirmed the fire via its official communication channels, assuring the public that firefighting teams were working to contain the situation and that further updates would be provided.
The first departing flight left the airport at about 7:20 p.m. after the airspace was reopened, although smoke was still visible in parts of the terminal as of press time. Authorities said investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.