Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo on Monday night visited the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following a fire outbreak at Terminal 1.
Minister Keyamo said he arrived at the airport around midnight and joined the managing director and management team of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who were coordinating response efforts.
“I commend FAAN personnel and first responders for their swift activation of established emergency procedures. Their prompt and coordinated actions were instrumental in safeguarding lives and limiting the impact of the incident,” he said.
The minister said he directed FAAN’s Fire and Rescue Department and the Lagos State Fire Service to maintain an overnight vigil.
“I have directed the fire department of FAAN and the Lagos State Fire Service to maintain an overnight vigil at the airport to ensure that the fire is properly put out,” he added.
He said he would assess the facility at daybreak.
“At dawn, I will be undertaking a tour of the airport to assess the extent of damage caused by the fire and to give necessary directives,” Keyamo stated.
The fire broke out on Monday at Terminal 1, prompting an emergency response and the temporary closure of the Lagos airfield.
FAAN confirmed that 14 persons trapped in the control tower were rescued with the support of a crane, while six persons sustained injuries and are in stable condition.
Preliminary findings by the fire service indicated that the fire started in the server room on the first floor of the terminal.
The sixth floor of the building was evacuated, and the airspace was temporarily shut as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) worked to establish a temporary control tower.
Flight operations resumed on Monday evening.
According to Punch, FAAN’s director of public affairs and consumer protection Henry Agbebire said the agency’s emergency response team was managing the situation and confirmed that no loss of life was recorded.
