Airspace Closed as Fire Engulfs Lagos Airport Terminal

A fire broke out on Monday at the old terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, forcing authorities to close the Lagos airspace and suspend flight operations. The incident happened at the airport facility while firefighters battled to control the blaze and rescue about 10 people trapped inside the control tower.

The fire started at the old terminal of the airport, which is currently under renovation. As the flames spread, thick smoke covered parts of the building, creating panic within the premises.

About 10 individuals were reported trapped on the sixth floor of the control tower as emergency teams worked to reach them.
Due to the incident, the Lagos airspace was temporarily shut, stopping both incoming and outgoing international flights.

Aircraft scheduled to land or depart were unable to operate as authorities focused on safety measures. Aviation sources confirmed that no flights were allowed to move in or out of Lagos during the emergency.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and continued efforts to contain the flames. Rescue operations were also underway to bring those trapped in the control tower to safety.

Heavy smoke made visibility difficult, and officials at the airport said they could not immediately confirm whether others were trapped in different parts of the building.

Preliminary information suggests the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though authorities had not confirmed the exact cause at the time of reporting.

Emergency responders remained at the airport working to extinguish the blaze and secure the affected areas.

A helicopter was seen hovering around the airport during the incident. While its purpose was not clearly stated, there were indications it could be linked to security agencies monitoring the situation. However, it did not appear to be directly involved in rescue efforts.

This incident adds to previous fire outbreaks at the airport. In September 2023, a smoke incident occurred at the international wing of the same airport.

At that time, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria traced the problem to an electrical spark that led to a burning lithium inverter battery in the basement of Terminal 1.

As of the time of this report, firefighting and rescue operations were still ongoing, while authorities continued to assess the damage and determine the full cause of the fire.