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A fire outbreak at the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday disrupted flight operations, stranded passengers, and triggered diversions, compounding travel delays and operational uncertainty across airlines.
It was also gathered that at least six persons were hospitalised after the fire outbreak engulfed Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, forcing the diversion of international flights, damaging airport equipment, and triggering a massive multi-agency emergency response.
The incident, which began around 3:00 pm, was still being battled by firefighters as of 7:00 pm when this report was filed, with thick smoke billowing from sections of the terminal.
Five ambulances were seen evacuating injured airport users to the airport hospital as emergency responders battled to contain the blaze. Beyond the injuries recorded, several pieces of operational equipment and airline properties were destroyed in the fire. The affected terminal, part of the airport’s older infrastructure and currently undergoing renovation, had earlier been earmarked for total remodelling following the approval of N712bn by the Federal Executive Council for its rehabilitation.
About 12 staff members were reportedly trapped inside the control tower when the incident started. They were later rescued using a construction crane. Since the fire affected control tower operations, aircraft could neither land nor take off following the incident.
Speaking at the scene, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said the immediate priority was containment of the fire while investigations continue. Punch
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