Temporary Terminal Ready As FG Moves To Demolish Fire-ravaged Lagos Airport Facility

The minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday announced the demolition of Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, following the fire outbreak that ravaged the facility on Monday.

The minister made the disclosure after inspecting the extent of damage caused by the inferno.
He stated that a temporary terminal, from which the few airlines operating from the affected facility will resume services, is already at an advanced stage of completion.
Keyamo confirmed that the fire was successfully contained and that no lives were lost in the incident.
He added that the victims who were hospitalised are responding positively to treatment at a health facility in Lagos.

LEADERSHIP reports that the incident, which sparked tension at the airport on Monday, led to the disruption of flight operations and the activation of emergency protocols.
In a statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the outbreak and assured the public that its emergency response teams were promptly deployed to the scene.
“FAAN wishes to inform the public of a fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Our firefighting team responded immediately and worked to contain the situation. No loss of life was recorded,” the statement read.

Passengers and airport users were thrown into panic as thick smoke billowed from sections of the terminal, while security officials moved swiftly to cordon off the affected area.
The fire, which reportedly began around 3:00 p.m., was still being battled by firefighters as of 7:00 p.m., causing significant disruption to airport operations.
Several international flights were diverted, compounding travel delays and creating operational uncertainty for airlines.

It was gathered that at least six persons were hospitalised following the incident, which damaged critical airport equipment and triggered a large-scale, multi-agency emergency response.
Authorities have assured that further updates will be provided as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.