The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the temporary closure of the airspace following a fire outbreak at Terminal One of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
In an update issued on Monday, the authority said the action was taken in accordance with established safety procedures.
FAAN confirmed that six people — three men and three women — were affected in the incident and are currently in stable condition. One of the victims has been moved to the FAAN headquarters hospital for further medical assessment and is also reported to be stable.
“Emergency response operations remain active, with coordinated firefighting, rescue, and safety teams continuing containment and recovery efforts,” the authority said.
“A crane was successfully deployed to support rescue operations at the Control Tower, and all fourteen (14) persons initially trapped have been safely rescued and fully evacuated from the facility.”
As part of additional safety measures, FAAN said the sixth floor of the affected building has been fully evacuated to aid ongoing emergency work and reduce potential risks.
Preliminary investigations by the fire service suggest that the blaze began in the server room located on the first floor of Terminal One.
“The fire within the departure hall is now largely under control, while responders continue close monitoring to prevent any spread to adjoining sections of the terminal,” FAAN said.
“In line with established safety protocols, the airspace remains temporarily closed. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is actively working to establish a temporary Control Tower to enable the safe and timely restoration of airport operations as soon as practicable.”
FAAN added that emergency protocols were immediately activated and that it is collaborating with relevant agencies to safeguard lives, infrastructure, and airport operations.
TheCable gathered that an Air France flight travelling from Paris to Lagos, which departed at about 3 p.m., has turned back to Paris following the incident.
