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 the fire that gutted Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island. In a statement expressing shock and grief, Elumelu described the incident as devastating and said the organisation was mourning the unexpected loss of colleagues.
The blaze erupted on Tuesday afternoon at the six-storey Afriland Towers, a commercial building that houses a UBA branch and other offices. Thick smoke and flames were visible across multiple floors as firefighters and emergency responders raced to the scene and evacuated occupants; video and on-scene reporting showed workers and visitors being helped from windows and led away from the building.
Lagos State fire crews and rescue teams confirmed they had rescued several people from the structure. Authorities said nine casualties were pulled from the building, five of whom were resuscitated, while others remained in serious condition as they were taken to hospital for treatment. Emergency services continued to work through the evening to extinguish hot spots and make the scene safe.
UBA moved quickly to quell rumours that its head office had been affected, issuing clarifications that the incident involved the Afriland Towers branch location and that its Marina head office was safe. The bank said safety protocols were activated to protect staff and customers at the affected branch while authorities managed the emergency response.
At the time of reporting, an official cause had not been confirmed. Journalists and officials on the scene warned that investigators would need to examine electrical installations, backup power systems and building compliance with fire-safety regulations before drawing conclusions. The episode has renewed calls from safety advocates and business groups for stricter enforcement of fire codes and more regular maintenance of critical systems in high-density commercial buildings.
Local hospitals and emergency authorities were working to identify the casualties and notify next of kin. Heirs Holdings and UBA said they would provide support to affected families and cooperate with investigators and emergency services as inquiries progress. Lagos traffic and business activity near Broad Street were disrupted as the scene remained cordoned off for rescue and forensic work.
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