Six additional deaths were recorded on Thursday, after the initial four, following the inferno that gutted Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, on Tuesday.
The raging fire it was gathered by emergency agencies, originated in the inverter room located in the basement of the building. The smoke spread across multiple floors and engulfed the structure, trapping occupants in the process.
In the ensuing melee, occupants scampered into the safety, while several others escaped unhurt, four victims lost their lives on the spot.
Deputy Controller General, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Olajide Ogabi, said “a total of nine casualties were rescued, while five individuals who were rushed to hospital for treatment.
According to Adekanbi, the deceased staff were working at one of the two FIRS offices housed on the sixth and seventh floors of the towers when the tragedy struck.
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has expressed regrets over the casualties in the Afriland Towers fire.
In a message posted on X, the Chairman, Tony Elumelu, acknowledged that UBA, like other organisations housed in the building, lost employees in the blaze.
“The past few hours have been tough. We and others lost colleagues in the fire at Afriland Towers. As a community, we are grieving for all and doing what we can to support their families and loved ones,” he wrote.
He also distanced himself from the bank’s earlier press release, which merely assured customers of safety at its branch while failing to address staff casualties.
“I also saw the initial statement from the comms team at @UBAGroup, which was put out in haste, without understanding the full gravity of what happened. This is regrettable. The statement does not reflect how deeply saddened we are,” Elumelu added.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) confirmed the death of four staff members, while United Capital Plc announced that six of its employees died, bringing the total confirmed toll to at least 10.
Elumelu stated that the UBA Group “paused today to reflect and remember all who passed,” stressing that the deceased “are irreplaceable and will remain in our memories always.”
He offered prayers for the departed and comfort to their families.
A branch of United Bank For Africa, UBA in Lagos Island was gutted by fire, with flames reportedly engulfing parts of the building.
A video obtained by DAILY GIST shows the intensity of the inferno.
During the incident, “some trapped workers in the building were seen jumping out of the towers” while a “rescue operation was underway
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