UBA Fire Tragedy: Fatal Safety Lapses Exposed at Afriland Tower, Lagos

A deadly fire at Afriland Tower on Broad Street, Lagos Island, has exposed alarming safety gaps in one of Nigeria’s busiest commercial hubs, leaving families and corporate giants in mourning.

The blaze, which broke out on Tuesday inside the inverter room located in the basement, spread quickly through the 15-storey tower, sending smoke billowing into multiple floors. The building houses a branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Afriland Properties Plc, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Panic and Fatal Escapes

Deputy Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS), Ogabi Olajide, confirmed the fire’s origin in the basement inverter room. As smoke engulfed the tower, staff and customers scrambled for safety, many struggling to locate fire exits. Some attempted desperate escapes through windows and ladders as firefighters from Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu stations battled the blaze.

Initial statements from UBA downplayed the severity, insisting no lives were lost and clarifying that its Marina head office was unaffected. But the tragedy deepened when UBA Chairman Tony Elumelu confirmed casualties, describing the victims as “colleagues.”

Tony Elumelu: ‘I Am Shattered’

Cutting short his trip to the United States for the UN General Assembly, Elumelu released a personally signed statement, mourning the loss of staff and declaring a minute’s silence across all Heirs Holdings companies.

“I am shattered by yesterday’s devastating incident at Afriland Towers that took the lives of our dear colleagues. No words can capture the magnitude of this loss — not for their families, not for their friends, not for those of us who worked beside them,” Elumelu said.

He added that the bank would host a memorial in the coming days to honour the deceased and provide support for their families.

FIRS Confirms Loss of Four Staff

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) also confirmed fatalities, announcing that four of its staff died in the inferno. The agency described the incident as “a tragic loss that has thrown the FIRS community into mourning.”

Negligence and Safety Questions

The tragedy has sparked outrage among analysts and safety experts, who argue that inadequate fire preparedness, poor safety exits, and possible negligence worsened the disaster.

Afriland Tower, once known as UBA Properties and fully owned by Heirs Holdings, is now under scrutiny as calls grow louder for stricter enforcement of safety standards in both public and private high-rise buildings across Lagos.

For the families of those who perished, however, the questions come too late.