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The fire that engulfed Afriland Tower in Lagos on Tuesday may have lasted only a few hours, but for those who survived, the horror still lingers. Many were confirmed dead and more than 15 others still hospitalized after choking on the thick, toxic smoke released by burning inverters inside the six-storey building.
Emergency officials say while the flames were contained before spreading to all floors, the fumes — dark, acidic, and suffocating — caused more damage than the fire itself.
Chaos in the Tower The blaze, which broke out shortly after midday, sent shockwaves through Lagos Island’s bustling commercial district. Workers and visitors inside Afriland Tower were forced to choose between suffocation and leaping from windows.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos.
“People were screaming and running. The smoke was everywhere — thick and black,” recalled Michael Okafor, an office assistant in a nearby building. “I saw two men jump from the third floor. They were badly injured, but they survived. One woman wasn’t so lucky. She collapsed before rescuers reached her.”
Victims of Smoke, Not Flames Unlike many fires where burns account for most casualties, doctors say Afriland Tower victims are suffering from smoke inhalation injuries.
Dr. Okechukwu Adebayo, a physician treating patients at Lagos Island General Hospital, explained the nature of the injuries:
“The inverter batteries released toxic chemicals when they exploded. Many victims came in with chest pain, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. Some were unconscious when brought in. We lost one patient who suffered severe respiratory failure.”
Among the injured is Blessing Peters, a secretary who narrowly escaped.
“It felt like my chest was on fire. I couldn’t breathe. My colleague held my hand as we ran, but halfway down the staircase, I fainted. The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed,” she said, still gasping as she spoke.
Another survivor, Kunle Adeyemi, said he was forced to break a window to survive.
“The smoke covered everything. I thought I would die there. I held onto a ledge until firefighters pulled me down. But my friend who was with me didn’t make it.”
Firefighters Confront Toxic Fumes Rescue officers faced enormous challenges as inverter units exploded, filling the tower with hazardous gases.
“The flames were not our biggest problem — it was the smoke,” a senior firefighter told Global Mirror News. “Those fumes spread through corridors and stairwells faster than we could evacuate people. Without protective gear, many wouldn’t have made it out alive.”
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has launched a probe, with early findings pointing to an electrical fault in the inverter system. Officials believe poor wiring or overheating batteries may have triggered the fire.
A Pattern of Fire Disasters The Afriland Tower blaze is not an isolated case. Lagos has witnessed a troubling rise in high-rise and commercial building fires in recent years.
Balogun Market, 2019: Multiple buildings went up in flames, leaving several traders dead and millions of naira in goods destroyed.
Eko Hotel Annex Fire, 2020: A late-night blaze forced mass evacuations, though no deaths were recorded.
Mandilas Building Fire, 2021: Smoke from faulty electrical wiring injured dozens of traders.
Dosunmu Plaza, 2022: Exploding generators and batteries worsened the fire, exposing the dangers of alternative power sources.
Safety experts warn that Lagos’ dependence on generators and inverters due to unstable electricity supply is creating new hazards. Without strict inspections and fire audits, buildings remain vulnerable.
“We are sitting on ticking time bombs across the city,” said fire safety consultant, Tunde Olatunji. “Afriland Tower is just one example. Many commercial buildings house massive inverter systems and high-capacity batteries in poorly ventilated rooms. A single spark can unleash tragedy.”
Families in Grief, Survivors in Pain For families of the victims, the fire has left scars deeper than the visible smoke stains on Afriland Tower’s walls.
One bereaved relative, who asked not to be named, said through tears:
“My brother was only 34. He went to work that morning and never came back. We were told he suffocated before they could rescue him.”
Meanwhile, survivors continue to struggle with both physical and emotional trauma. Hospitals across Lagos Island remain filled with patients on oxygen support, while others nurse broken bones from jumping out of windows.
Calls for Accountability Civil society groups and safety advocates are demanding accountability from building managers and stricter enforcement from Government Agencies. Many argue that fire safety equipment — including sprinklers, alarms, and emergency exits — are either absent or nonfunctional in many Lagos high-rises.
“Every time there’s a fire, officials promise investigations, but little changes,” said activist Ngozi Umeh of the Lagos Safety Coalition. “We cannot keep losing lives because of negligence.”
A City on Edge As investigations continue, Afriland Tower stands as a grim reminder of Lagos’ fire safety crisis. For the city’s millions of workers who spend their days in office complexes, markets, and residential towers, the fear is real: what building might be next?
For Blessing Peters, the survivor, the question haunts her daily.
“I keep hearing the screams. I don’t think I will ever go back to work in a high-rise building again. My body escaped, but my mind is still trapped in that smoke.”
The fire at Afriland Tower may be extinguished, but its toxic legacy — of grief, trauma, and urgent questions about safety — still burns across Lagos.
