RNR Viewpoint
Ten people have died in a devastating fire at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island, including four senior staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and six employees of United Capital Plc, as building owners remain tight‑lipped over the full circumstances and other possible casualties.
The inferno is believed to have begun in the inverter room in the building’s basement around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, spreading quickly as thick smoke engulfed upper floors and trapping occupants. Eyewitnesses said terrified workers tried to escape through windows and ledges as flames intensified.
FIRS confirmed the deaths of its four senior staff, all of whom were working on the sixth and seventh floors. The agency identified them as Mrs. Ekelikhostse George (Assistant Director), Mr. David Sunday‑Jatto (Assistant Director), Mrs. Nkem Onyemelukwe (Senior Manager), and Mr. Peter Ifaranmaye (Manager). In a statement, Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS Chairman, said, “It is with a heavy heart that FIRS announces the tragic loss of four of its staff members during the fire incident at Afriland Towers. The management and entire staff are in deep shock and sorrow. We will provide all the necessary support to the families at this trying time.”
United Capital confirmed six of its employees also died in the fire. In its notice to the market it described the victims as “an integral part of our company and family,” and mourned the “immeasurable void” their loss leaves. The company stated it has activated its Business Continuity Plan to maintain operations and safeguard critical business processes.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu, in a statement through his media aide, expressed shock at the “worrisome” incident. He extended condolences to the families of the victims from FIRS, United Capital, and others affected, noting that property worth millions was destroyed. “It is with a heavy heart that I received news of the fire outbreak,” he said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and the management and staff of all the organisations that lost their loved ones.”
President Bola Tinubu also reacted, commending the emergency responders and urging greater vigilance to prevent future disasters. He offered prayers “that God Almighty will receive the souls of the departed and grant quick recovery to the injured.”
Emergency services, including the Lagos State Fire & Rescue Service and Federal Fire Service, assisted in rescue operations. Nine persons were rescued, five resuscitated, while efforts continued to revive the others. Building owners and emergency agencies have pledged investigations, yet they remain largely silent on whether the building had up‑to‑standard safety features such as smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, or regular safety drills. Afriland Properties in a brief statement said it “regrets to inform stakeholders of the tragic incident” but avoided details on the building’s preparedness.
The deaths of the FIRS and United Capital staff speak not just to tragic misfortune, but to structural neglect. When inverter rooms—spaces meant to ensure backup power—become flashpoints for catastrophe, it points to systemic failure: in planning, regulation, oversight, and emergency preparedness. Lagos has long tolerated dangerous gaps in building safety enforcement, yet this latest loss should shake policymakers, regulators, building owners, and citizens alike to insist on safer workspaces.