Fire Guts Murtala Muhammed International Airport Old Terminal, Six Injured as Flights Diverted

Fire Guts Murtala Muhammed International Airport Old Terminal, Six Injured as Flights Diverted

A significant fire outbreak engulfed the old terminal (Terminal 1) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Monday afternoon, leaving six people injured and forcing the temporary shutdown of the nation’s busiest international gateway .

The blaze, which began around 3:00 p.m., caused extensive disruption, triggering the diversion of multiple international flights and the dramatic rescue of 14 personnel trapped in the control tower . While officials confirmed no fatalities, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of the ageing facility, which is currently undergoing a multi-billion-naira renovation .

Emergency responders from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Fire Service, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other federal agencies swiftly mobilized to contain the inferno . A crane was successfully deployed to the control tower to rescue 14 air traffic controllers and engineers who were trapped as the fire spread vertically through the building .

According to a statement from FAAN, six people—three males and three females—sustained injuries during the incident. All are reported to be in stable condition, with one individual transferred to the FAAN Headquarters Hospital for further medical evaluation .

Preliminary findings from the Fire Service indicate that the fire originated from the server room on the first floor of Terminal 1 . FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, confirmed that no renovation or construction work was ongoing in the immediate area where the fire is believed to have started at the time of the incident .

The fire, which affected the control tower, forced a temporary closure of the airspace. Three international flights were diverted as a result:

· British Airways flight was rerouted to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
· Lufthansa flight was diverted to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
· Emirates flight was also diverted from Lagos .

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) activated plans for a temporary control tower, and operations resumed later Monday evening. Ethiopian Airlines became the first carrier to depart after the airspace was reopened at approximately 7:26 p.m. .

Addressing the public late Monday, Mrs. Kuku assured passengers that disruptions were minimal. “Our flights are taking off and landing normally again,” she stated. “What is critical is to make sure that the fire itself is controlled. Lives were saved because of preparedness, teamwork, and strict adherence to emergency procedures” .

She also noted that most departures and arrivals had already been shifted to Terminal 2 as a precautionary measure, which reduced the overall impact on airport operations.

This incident marks yet another fire outbreak at the decades-old facility. The terminal, built over 45 years ago, has suffered several electrical fires in recent years, including significant incidents in September 2023 and April 2024 . These recurring issues prompted the federal government to allocate N712 billion for the total reconstruction of the terminal .

In response to Monday’s fire and to avert future occurrences, FAAN has announced the following measures:

Civil and structural engineers have been mandated to conduct a thorough integrity test on the building to determine its safety and the necessary next steps .
Four airlines are scheduled to move into a ready-made temporary terminal within days to further decongest the old facility .
FAAN reiterated its commitment to maintaining coordinated emergency response procedures and mutual aid agreements with state agencies and construction firms like Julius Berger to ensure swift future responses .

Investigations into the immediate cause of the blaze are ongoing .