The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the reopening of the airspace at Terminal One of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, following a fire outbreak.
FAAN’s Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, told journalists on Monday that no fatalities were recorded, although six people sustained injuries during the incident.
She disclosed that three international flights operated by Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa were diverted as a precaution.
“Some of our operations were affected; however, they will be back up and running in the next half an hour,” Kuku said.
She explained that the immediate focus was on containing the fire, while investigations into its cause are ongoing.
“What is important is that we activated our emergency procedures and evacuated everyone without any fatalities, due to coordinated efforts by all agencies,” she stated.
According to Kuku, the airport’s Emergency Operations Centre was promptly activated, with the Airport Manager serving as Chief Safety and Security Officer to coordinate response efforts.
“There is a standard procedure we follow when it comes to emergencies,” she added, noting that coordination with relevant state authorities followed established safety protocols.
On the ongoing renovation at the airport, Kuku clarified that construction work was not taking place in the area where the fire reportedly started.
“In the area we believe the fire began, no renovation was ongoing at the time. People were only moving items out. Preliminary findings indicate the fire started on the ground floor, but we are awaiting confirmation and cannot say more at this time,” she said.
She confirmed that the fire later escalated to the roof, while police personnel and helicopters provided swift support during rescue operations.
“We have engaged civil and structural engineers to assess the integrity of the building and determine the next steps,” Kuku said.
Most flight departures and arrivals were temporarily relocated, with departures largely moved to Terminal Two. She added that four airlines are expected to operate from the temporary terminal, which she described as fully ready for use.
“In terms of the overall operations affected, it was not extensive,” she said, adding that the temporary terminal would become fully active within days.
Addressing concerns about lingering smoke, Kuku assured passengers that firefighters would remain on standby as a precautionary measure.
