Afriland Confirms Fire at Headquarters as Twin Blazes Ravage Lagos Island

Afriland Properties Plc has confirmed that its headquarters, Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island, was among the commercial landmarks gutted by fire on Tuesday, in what has now become a twin-tragedy for the bustling district.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the company expressed deep regret over the incident, disclosing that preliminary findings traced the fire to its inverter room.

According to Afriland, smoke spread rapidly through the multi-storey building, including the emergency exits, even as standard safety protocols were observed during evacuation.

“The Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Fire Service and other emergency services were promptly alerted and their swift intervention was instrumental in mitigating further damage and coordinating rescue efforts,” the statement noted.

Afriland further commended the heroic efforts of emergency responders and members of the public, while pledging full cooperation with relevant authorities as investigations continue.

The incident at Afriland Towers occurred just hours before another inferno ripped through Central Plaza, a busy shopping complex also on Broad Street.

That blaze, which started around 7:40 p.m., spread with alarming speed, collapsing part of the building and trapping several people inside.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as traders scrambled to salvage goods through smoke and falling debris.

Emergency crews battled late into the night to contain the second fire, though operations were hampered by the collapse.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that goods worth millions of naira were lost, while the extent of casualties remains uncertain.

The back-to-back blazes on Broad Street — striking two major commercial landmarks within hours — have left traders, workers, and residents shaken, raising fresh concerns over safety in one of Lagos Island’s busiest corridors.