A significant fire outbreak at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 1 yesterday led to a temporary shutdown of the Lagos airspace and widespread flight disruptions. The airspace, however, was opened at about 7.30 pm, with Ethiopian Airlines being the first to take off at 7.40pm after the aerodrome was reopened.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was working to establish a temporary control tower to enable the safe and timely restoration of airport operations as soon as practicable.
The fire affected Terminal 1 (the old international terminal), starting in the server room and spreading to the fourth and fifth floors. No lives were lost, and no injuries have been reported While the exact cause is still under investigation, initial reports suggest a potential electrical issue.
Inbound flights were instructed to delay departures from their origin airports or remain airborne until the “all-clear” was given. A crane was success fully deployed to support rescue operations at the control tower, and all 14 persons initially trapped were safely rescued and fully evacuated from the facility. The sixth floor of the affected facility had been completely evacuated to support ongoing emergency operations and risk mitigation.
The rescue of the air traffic controllers to safety forced the airport authority to close Lagos airspace, with many aircraft approaching for landing diverted to other airports in Accra, Ghana, and Abuja, as a result of a massive fire outbreak at the country’s premier airport. The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed that British Airways was diverted to Abuja, while Lufthansa German Airlines and Emirates were diverted to Malabo.
Kuku disclosed that an investigation was ongoing to unravel the cause or causes of the inferno. She confirmed that all emergency procedures were promptly activated and continues to collaborate with relevant emergency and support agencies to safeguard lives, infrastructure, and operational integrity.
