Tragically, ten individuals lost their lives following a fire outbreak at Afriland Tower located in Lagos Island, Lagos State. New insights have surfaced regarding the circumstances that led to these fatalities.
Emergency responders have revealed that the primary cause of death was inhalation of toxic smoke emanating from a lithium battery inverter system that caught fire.
Footage captured during the incident on Tuesday, September 16, depicted employees desperately attempting to escape the multi-story Afriland Tower as thick, black smoke engulfed the premises. Several were saved through the efforts of local residents and passersby who used ladders to assist in their rescue.
Further updates confirmed that the deceased were staff members from the Federal Inland Revenue Service and United Capital, a financial and investment firm housed within the building. They succumbed to their injuries at various hospitals where they had been rushed for treatment.
Rescue team members and healthcare workers attending to the victims disclosed that the majority of the deaths resulted from complications caused by inhaling the hazardous smoke inside the building.
An emergency official, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that the smoke originated from the lithium battery that powered the inverter system.
Chukwunonso Okafor, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Afriland Properties, provided a statement on Tuesday clarifying that the fire started in the inverter room. The smoke rapidly spread throughout the building, including blocking emergency exit routes.
A senior source involved in the rescue operation noted that panic among the occupants led to them inhaling the smoke before assistance arrived.
“The danger was not the flames themselves but the smoke produced by the lithium battery powering the inverter, which served as an alternative power source. The smoke spread swiftly, and anyone exposed to it for even a minute would likely lose consciousness,” the source explained.
Another official added that the smoke, rich in carbon monoxide, displaced oxygen within the tower, making it increasingly difficult for those trapped inside to breathe.
“The carbon monoxide-laden smoke rapidly reduced oxygen levels, leaving people struggling for air. Although firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze quickly, many victims had already sustained severe inhalation injuries,” the official said.
The source further clarified that no bodies were found at the fire scene itself. Instead, the ten confirmed fatalities occurred later in hospitals due to the effects of toxic smoke inhalation.
“Those who inhaled smoke but received prompt medical care survived. Unfortunately, only the most severe cases resulted in death,” the source concluded.
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