Tony Elumelu mourns Heirs Holdings staff lost in Lagos fire

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA), has confirmed that employees of Heirs Holdings were among those who lost their lives in Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers on Lagos Island.

The six-storey building also houses a UBA branch.

The disclosure was contained in a message to staff on Heirs Holdings letterhead, dated Wednesday, September 17, 2025, a day after the incident.

He described the tragedy as devastating, adding that no words could capture the grief felt by the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased.

He disclosed that he cut short his trip to the United States, where he was heading to attend the United Nations General Assembly, to return to Lagos in respect of the victims.

He further directed that a minute of silence be observed across all Heirs Holdings companies on Wednesday, September 17, and pledged support for the families of those affected.

Elumelu also announced that a memorial service would be held in the coming days to honour the deceased employees and commended emergency responders, first aid workers, and members of the public who showed courage during the incident.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) reported that the fire started in the inverter room located in the basement of the six-storey Afriland Towers, a building that houses several businesses, including a UBA branch.

Deputy Controller General Ogabi Olajide said the emergency call came in at 1:38 p.m., prompting the rapid deployment of firefighting teams from Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu stations. Smoke quickly spread through several floors, forcing evacuations.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as workers and visitors scrambled to escape the smoke-filled offices. LSFRS confirmed that nine people were rescued, five of whom were successfully resuscitated, while several others escaped unharmed.

The Afriland Towers fire ignited widespread concern and outrage on social media, as Nigerians reacted to apparent safety lapses and emergency response challenges during the incident.

Video footage showed occupants escaping through windows using a ladder, typically meant for climbing electricity poles, which was propped up from the first-floor cantilever and supported by people on the ground.

While some individuals managed to descend safely, the precarious arrangement drew sharp criticism. Another clip captured occupants attempting to jump onto makeshift cushioned materials below, but the practice ceased after an apparent injury, leaving the ladder as the primary means of escape.

On Nairametrics’ Instagram post showing occupants using the ladder, Chinwe_amaboms highlighted the dangers of inadequate emergency exits in high-rise buildings.

“No adequate emergency exit in a high-rise building. That ladder has the potential to cause more harm. This might just be a turning point to getting things right,” the comment read.

“We lack crowd control mechanism. What were those people doing close to the building?” he said.

“Just imagine the impossibility of someone on the heavy side coming down that rickety ladder.” 

ADEDOYIN (@brizboi007) questioned the absence of basic safety infrastructure:

“Isn’t there an emergency exit or an automatic sprinkler system in place? Or an assembling point on each floor, in case of a situation like this.” 

N.O. Maximus (@realmaximus1) stressed the need for fire response infrastructure:

“This building is supposed to have an independent mini fire service station, considering the fact that we don’t have a rapid response fire service system in the country, and more so, the traffic nature of the state (since there’s no dedicated road lane for emergency 🆘 like this).”

Stellamaris (@onyiconfections) added, “There ought to be a fire service station in that market fgs. Buildings on fire too frequently to not have a fire station a stone’s throw from anywhere.” 

Fan of Durín (@ArchersMind) questioned basic fire safety measures:

“Sometimes I wonder why such a building will have no fire hydrant or even a fire truck.” 

Solomon Eviebor (@solosteel29) emphasized the importance of regular drills:

“Buildings like this should have regular fire drills, which every user must follow, I doubt such happens. In addition, if they know the drill and still panic like this, then something is truly wrong with us.” 

The collective response highlights public frustration over building safety standards and emergency preparedness in Lagos, highlighting gaps that many fear could lead to future tragedies if not addressed.

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