Keyamo
The terminal building at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, ravaged by a fire outbreak on Monday, is set for demolition and reconstruction, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has confirmed.
Keyamo, who visited the site, lamented the loss of critical equipment, including Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) facilities, but played down sabotage, saying the building was already earmarked for renovation.
The building was about to be pulled down anyway, and the fire has just hastened our move away from the building,” Keyamo said, assuring that temporary arrangements have been made to relocate affected airlines and entities.
The minister commended the swift response of emergency responders and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN personnel, saying their prompt actions saved lives.
The fire, which started in a server room, damaged equipment on several floors, but no lives were lost.
A temporary control tower is being set up to restore normal flight operations while Keyamo assured that safety remains the ministry’s top priority, and the incident will not disrupt flight activities.
A devastating fire broke out at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Monday, destroying parts of the terminal but fortunately causing no fatalities.
The FAAN confirmed that 14 personnel trapped in the control tower were rescued alive without injuries, and six people were injured but are in stable condition.
The Aviation Minister described the incident as a destruction that was “fast tracked” by the inferno, since the terminal was already scheduled for demolition and rehabilitation.
He commended the swift response of emergency responders and FAAN personnel, reiterating that their prompt actions helped safeguard lives and limit the impact of the incident.
The fire, which originated from a server room, damaged critical equipment while flights were temporarily disrupted, with three international flights diverted, but operations have since resumed.
