The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says the airspace at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal One has reopened following a fire outbreak.
Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, told journalists on Monday there were no fatalities, but six people sustained injuries during the incident.
She said three international flights were diverted, including those operated by Emirates, British Airways and Lufthansa.
According to Kuku, “Some of our operations were affected; however, they will be back up and running in the next half an hour.”
She said the immediate priority was containing the fire, while investigations into the cause were ongoing.
“What is important is that we activated our emergency procedures and evacuated everyone with no fatalities due to coordinated efforts by all agencies,” she said.
Kuku said the airport’s Emergency Operations Centre had been activated, led by the airport manager as chief safety and security officer.
“He is taking charge. There is a standard procedure we follow when it comes to emergencies,” she added.
She noted that coordination among agencies followed established protocols, with support from relevant state authorities where necessary.
On renovation works, Kuku said projects were ongoing within the airport, but not in the area where the fire reportedly began.
“In the area we believe the fire started, nothing was happening at the time. People were only moving items out.
“The fire started from the ground floor, from our investigations so far. We are awaiting confirmation and cannot say more at this time,” she said.
She confirmed the fire escalated to the roof, adding that police and helicopters supported rescue operations swiftly.
“We have professionals, including civil and structural engineers, to assess the building’s integrity and determine the next steps,” she said.
Kuku said most departures and arrivals had been moved, with departures largely relocated to Terminal 2.
She added that four airlines were scheduled to move into the temporary terminal, which she described as ready for use.
“In terms of the full operations affected, I would say not a lot,” she said, adding that the temporary terminal would be active within days.
Addressing lingering smoke, Kuku assured passengers that firefighters would remain on ground as a precaution.
She said: “If you have friends or family on the diverted flights, British Airways went to Abuja, Lufthansa to Malabo, and Emirates was also diverted.
“However, for travelling passengers, operations will resume within half an hour. It is fine to come to the airport for flights in the coming hours or days.”
The first flight departed about 7.20 p.m. after the airspace reopened, though smoke was still visible at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Airport Police Command has deployed emergency resources, including a police helicopter, to respond to a fire that broke out at the Old Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Adeola, confirmed this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.
He said that a distress call was received
at 3:45 p. m via radio communication from the Aviation Security base station.
“The Old Terminal 1, currently undergoing major renovation, was affected, with flames extending toward the control tower area.
“In line with established emergency protocols, the command immediately coordinated with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other emergency responders.
“Officers managed perimeter security, crowd control, and ensured the safety of personnel on the scene while evacuation operations continued.
“The helicopter was deployed to provide aerial support and assist in safely evacuating workers or personnel who may have been trapped or at risk, ” he said.
According to him, no casualties have been reported so far, and authorities are monitoring the situation to prevent secondary incidents.
The image maker urged the public to rely only on official channels for accurate information and to avoid the affected area to allow emergency teams unhindered access.
FAAN had earlier on Monday officially informed the public of a fire outbreak at Terminal one of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The announcement was made via the authority’s official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle on Monday.
FAAN said the firefighting team of the authority was currently responding and working to contain the situation and no loss of life had been recorded.
The authority said that further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
There was heavy smoke and rowdiness at the terminal earlier on Monday.
Emergency response operations were ongoing as FAAN firefighting teams continue efforts to fully contain and curtail the fire, while the orderly evacuation of passengers and airport personnel are continuing.
