At least six more fatalities have been confirmed following the fire outbreak at Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, Lagos State, bringing the total confirmed deaths to 10.
The latest victims were staff members of United Capital Plc, a financial and investment services firm occupying the 3rd and 4th floors of the building.
Their deaths were confirmed just hours after the Federal Inland Revenue Service announced that four of its staff members had also died in the blaze, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the fire, believed to have started in the inverter room in the building’s basement around 1:30 pm, sent thick smoke billowing into the air and triggered panic among occupants. Several individuals were seen attempting to escape through windows as emergency responders battled the flames.
Officials of the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other first responders rescued at least nine people from the building. According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, five of them were revived while four remained unconscious at the time.
“A total of nine victims have been rescued. Five individuals have been resuscitated. Several others escaped unhurt, while efforts are ongoing to revive the remaining four,” the service said in a statement on Tuesday, while warning that casualties could rise.
In an exclusive statement shared with our correspondent on Thursday morning, United Capital Plc confirmed the deaths of six of its employees.
“It is with profound grief that the Management and Staff of United Capital Plc announce the passing of six of our dear colleagues, following the tragic fire at Afriland Towers on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
Our departed colleagues were an integral part of our company and family. Their painful loss leaves an immeasurable void. We extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, and we continue to hold them in our thoughts and prayers, as well as provide all the support we can to them during this most difficult time.
We are making preparations for an appropriate memorial service to honour their lives and mark their passing with dignity and solemnity. We thank the emergency services and all those who responded for their valiant assistance at the time of the incident.
In this moment of untold grief, we stand together in solidarity, drawing strength from one another as we navigate this period. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” the company stated.
Emergency officials had earlier confirmed rescuing several occupants from the burning building, which was reportedly sparked by an inverter explosion. While government agencies are yet to release an official casualty figure, eyewitnesses and internal company sources maintain that “not everyone made it out alive.”
Efforts to reach the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) for official confirmation were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
