Lagos Airspace Closed Due To Fire

Lagos Airspace Closed Due To Fire

The Lagos airspace was closed on Monday after a fire tore through the old terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Around 10 people were reported trapped on the sixth floor of the control tower as thick smoke spread through the building. All international flights were halted, with no aircraft allowed to land or depart.

The blaze broke out at the terminal, which is undergoing a multi-billion-naira renovation.

Firefighters battled the flames for hours while emergency teams worked to reach those stranded inside.

Aviation sources confirmed that operations were suspended as a safety measure.

Officials at the scene said efforts were underway to rescue those trapped, though visibility was poor due to heavy smoke.

A helicopter was seen hovering above the airport, believed to be linked to security agencies, but it was not clear if it was part of the rescue mission.

The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, though an electrical fault is suspected.

The incident comes nearly three years after a smoke outbreak at the airport’s international wing in September 2023, which investigators traced to a burning lithium inverter battery.