Sanwo-Olu mourns Lagos fire victims, pledges safety reforms

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has sympathised with families, organisations, and traders who lost loved ones and properties in Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island.

The inferno, which also spread to parts of the Central Plaza near Mandilas Market, claimed several lives and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

In a statement on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu described the incident as “unfortunate and shocking,” noting that it was a huge loss to the state and affected institutions.

He specifically commiserated with the Federal Inland Revenue Service and United Capital PLC, which lost four and six staff members, respectively.

The fire incident at Afriland Towers in Broad Street was worrisome and a significant loss to Lagos State Government, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, United Capital PLC, and other companies and individuals, with property worth millions of naira destroyed.

“It is with a heavy heart that I received news of the fire outbreak. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, the management, and staff of all the organisations that lost their loved ones in the ugly incident. I wish the injured persons a speedy recovery,” the governor was quoted as saying.

Sanwo-Olu also extended condolences to traders at the Central Plaza, who lost valuable assets in the inferno, pledging that the government would strengthen fire safety measures across the state.

He said, “The government will continue to support efforts aimed at preventing and swiftly arresting such ugly incidents in the future.”

The governor further commended emergency responders, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service, and the Federal Fire Service, for their rapid intervention which, he said, helped reduce the scale of casualties.

reports that on Tuesday, a devastating fire broke out at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island. The inferno quickly spread to nearby parts of Central Plaza, close to Mandilas Market, causing massive destruction of property and goods worth millions of naira.

Authorities have confirmed that among the deceased are four staff members of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, which occupies the sixth and seventh floors of the building. Others died in hospitals across the state after being rushed from the blaze.

President Bola Tinubu has issued a statement offering condolences to the families of the victims and to the management and staff of FIRS, United Capital, and United Bank for Africa, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives and the injuries sustained.

He also commented the emergency responders — fire services, medical personnel, first aiders, and members of the public — for their quick action during evacuation efforts.

In his remarks, Tinubu urged increased caution, better training, and greater alertness to prevent such emergencies in the future, praying for the souls of those lost and the recovery of those injured.

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