Heirs Holdings has confirmed the deaths of some of its staff members in the fire that engulfed Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island, on Tuesday, describing the loss as “irreplaceable.”
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The investment group, founded by Tony Elumelu, and affiliated with United Bank for Africa, operates across sectors including real estate, power, hospitality, and financial services.
“I am shattered by yesterday’s devastating incident at Afriland Towers, that took the lives of our dear colleagues,” Mr. Elumelu said in a circular to staff on Wednesday. “No words can capture the magnitude of this loss, not for their families who loved them, not for the friends who valued them, and not for those of us who worked beside them.”
Elumelu, who had been en route to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, cut short his trip to return to Lagos “as a mark of respect to our lost colleagues.” He urged staff to support affected colleagues and announced that a memorial would be convened in the coming days. A minute’s silence was observed across all Heirs Holdings companies at 12 noon on Wednesday.
The full death toll remains unclear, but friends and relatives have mourned the victims. Social media posts detailed the grief and near escapes of some staff members.
Afriland Properties, the building’s management company, confirmed the blaze and commended the swift response of the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Fire Service, and other emergency teams. “Their intervention was instrumental in mitigating further damage and managing the situation,” the company said, extending sympathies to families affected.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the fire began in the basement inverter room before spreading smoke through several floors. Deputy Controller General Ogabi Olajide reported that nine victims were rescued, five were resuscitated, and several others escaped unhurt. Efforts to resuscitate four remaining individuals were ongoing.
Videos circulated online showed occupants trapped on higher floors, smashing windows for air, clinging to ledges, or jumping onto foamy materials below while ladders were raised for their escape. By late afternoon, firefighters contained the blaze, though checks continued into the evening.
Afriland Towers, a six-storey commercial property on Lagos Island, houses offices and businesses in one of the city’s busiest districts.
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