The death toll from the tragic fire at Afriland Towers Fire on Broad Street, Lagos Island, has climbed to 10, following confirmation that six employees of United Capital Plc died in the inferno.
LEADERSHIP reports that the six-storey commercial building was engulfed in flames on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, after a fire reportedly broke out in the inverter room located in the basement around 1:30 p.m. Thick smoke filled the building, sending panic among occupants, with some seen attempting desperate escapes through windows using a ladder as emergency responders battled the blaze.
United Capital, a financial and investment services firm that occupied the 3rd and 4th floors of the building, announced the deaths of six of its staff members in a statement released Thursday morning.
“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.”
This latest confirmation came just hours after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) disclosed that four of its senior staff also died in the incident, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 10.
Emergency responders, including officials of the Federal Fire Service and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, rescued at least nine people during the operation. Five were successfully revived, while four remained unconscious.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement on Tuesday, “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.”
Although emergency agencies were yet to release an official casualty figure, eyewitnesses and company insiders had earlier claimed that “not everyone made it out alive.”
Attempts to reach the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency for an update were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
