BY- EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN
✓ Afriland & Central Plaza Infernos: A Call to Action for Enhanced Fire Safety
Fire outbreaks remain a persistent crisis in Nigeria, claiming lives and destroying properties. The two recent incidents in Lagos show how severe it can be. On September 16, 2025, around 1:20 pm, a fire broke out at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island. The inferno was triggered by an electrical fault in the basement of inverter batteries in the building, which resulted in the tragic loss of ten lives due to smoke spreading via air-conditioning ducts. The deaths were caused by smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. According to national dailies, at least 25 people were injured. The high-rise building harbored different firms, including United Bank for Africa (UBA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and United Capital Plc.
Just hours later, between 7:00 and 8:00 pm, another fire ravaged Emab Plaza (also known as Central Plaza), a four-storey shopping complex behind Mandilas Market on Taiwo Street, near Broad Street. While no fatalities were reported, the inferno destroyed more than 200 shops, with goods worth billions of Naira lost. This is not the first fire incident at the market.
For the Afriland Towers incident, in a video that circulated online, it showed staff members jumping from windows, assisted by people around who struggled to provide support to those trapped inside. These events show the urgent need to find measures to reduce the occurrence of similar incidents or the damages that they might cause.
This piece will suggest methods for safely evacuating people during similar incidents and ways to minimize the damages caused by such infernos.
✓ Establishing Fire Sub-stations: After properly examining the two incidents, I suggest that both government and private establishments have to learn from the two incidents. Though in each state in Nigeria, like Lagos, different fire stations are set up in different areas to make it easy for firefighters to quickly respond to any emergency or fire scene. Looking at the steady occurrence of fire outbreaks in some popular markets in Nigeria, I suggest the establishment of a satellite or sub-fire station in some popular big markets to make the response quicker. These sub-stations will have fire trucks and firefighters on standby, ready to respond to emergencies.
Big business entities can also adopt this. Some companies might see the idea of creating a fire response team as a burden or an added expense, especially as the team might not be constantly engaged in firefighting activities, because fire outbreaks or infernos do not occur steadily. However, companies can consider adding other job roles to the team, like the following:
√ The team can be in charge of fire safety audits and risk assessments.
√ The team will be in charge of giving fire safety training to employees, ensuring that everyone knows what to do in case of a fire emergency.
√ The team can conduct steady inspections of the facility to ensure that fire safety equipment and systems are in place, and many more.
The above is just an example of some of the tasks the fire response team should be assigned, so they will be engaged. Some other companies who have insured their building might not value the above idea, believing that having insurance coverage is enough to help them recover. Some company management might ask, "Why should we recruit a full-time fire response team when we have insurance to cover the damages?" If they have nothing to consider, they should consider their employees' safety first; this will help in evacuating their staff quickly and safely in such scenes. Let's consider the two incidents as an example. You can see in the videos that surfaced online, how some staff were jumping from windows, which is very risky. Any company that chooses insurance over proactive fire safety measures might be taking a reactive approach, which is not the best.
✓ Fire Hydrants: I know some people might be seeing this around but don't know what it is or its use. Before the recent infernos, while hiking along Ligali Ayorinde Street in VI to work one morning, I bumped into a red iron fixed on the ground by the roadside, that looks like a big water tap nozzle. I became inquisitive, walked close to it, and saw where the name "Fire Hydrant" was engraved on the body. I went online to research its use. However, funny enough, we have this around some of our environs, estates, government, and private facilities without being properly serviced or utilized. They are made and stationed for community firefighting. It is meant to serve as a readily available source of water for firefighting operations and requires regular inspection and maintenance to ensure they are functioning properly in case of infernos. During my research, I found out it was meant to aid firefighters during fire outbreaks. But the ones I see around are just fixed and not maintained.
✓ Installation of Fire Evacuation Lift: I expected high-rise buildings like Afriland Towers and others to have fire evacuation lifts, not just one. Fire evacuation lifts are designed for emergencies; they are built with backup power, like generators or inverter, to aid their operation, if there is a power outage while evacuating people from the building. They are fire-resistant and can withstand high temperatures for 2 hours or more. They are also equipped with emergency communication systems to aid safe evacuation.
Just like fire evacuation lifts, I suggest that an external lift can be created or made for emergencies. However, external lifts should be detachable from the building and can be set up beside any high-rise building during emergencies. It should have all the features of a fire evacuation lift, like fire resistance, and be powered by an external power source. The only difference can be that it is detachable.
✓ Mandating Fire Extinguishers and Automatic Safety Fireballs: It should be mandatory for shops or business places to be equipped with fire extinguishers and extinguishing fireballs. For extinguishing fireballs, they should be placed strategically in various positions in a shop. It shouldn't be just one or two; multiple fireballs can be placed inside ceilings, behind goods on shelves, etc. If mounted on ceilings, fireballs can detect and suppress fires early, reducing their escalation. This is essential for areas that are not constantly monitored by people, such as ceilings, where electrical faults might emerge.
✓ Emergency Lanes: Having emergency lanes that allow free vehicle movement in case of emergencies is essential. This lane should be like the BRT lanes carved out in some places in Lagos, but should be used only by firefighters, security operatives, ambulances, not a hearse van or mortuary van. Due to congestion on Lagos roads, it might sometimes be opened for the use of the public for some hours. This should be based on the instruction from traffic control personnels. Even with the idea of establishing fire stations in big markets, without broad roads or emergency lanes in the market, they will still find it difficult to access the scene. This should be part of the plans Lagos state government should have in their idea of moving Computer Village market from Ikeja to Katangowa, Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.
In conclusion, the two recent fire incidents in Lagos should serve as a reminder of the importance of observing and adopting fire safety measures in our communities. By establishing fire sub-stations, utilizing fire hydrants, installing fire evacuation lifts, mandating fire extinguishers and automatic safety fireballs, and creating emergency lanes, we can reduce the risk of fire-related accidents and minimize their impact. Though we know that fire outbreaks cannot be completely eliminated, their risk can be significantly reduced through preparedness, strategies, and preventive measures.
√ Other Highlights From September
• Hilda Baci's Jollof Rice Record
Nigerian popular chef, Hilda Baci, bagged another Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice, weighing 8,780 kg. The cooking took place on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos, where thousands of people visited to support her and also have a taste of the meal. On Monday, September 15, 2025, Guinness World Records officially confirmed the record. Speaking about the giant pot used for achieving such a feat, Hilda Baci revealed that it will not be sold or auctioned but preserved as a historic symbol for public display.
• Tobi Amusan Wins Silver in 100m Hurdles
Nigerian sprint star Tobi Amusan claimed a silver medal in the women's 100m hurdles at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, on Monday, September 15, 2025. Finishing just 0.05 seconds behind Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, she secured Nigeria’s first medal at the event.
NB: This article was originally published on Nairaland October 1st and October 2nd on Champion Newspaper, Lagos 2025.
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