AFRILAND TOWERS: 20 things you didn’t know about fire incident

There are reports successful the nationalist space, immoderate of them not factual, astir the occurrence incidental astatine the Afriland Towers, a spot of Afriland Properties, located connected Broad Street, Lagos.

Chukwunonso Okafor, Head, Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications of Afriland Properties, provides 20 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) connected the occurrence incident.

What caused the fire?

The occurrence originated successful the inverter country located successful the basement of Afriland Towers. Safety protocols were activated immediately. However, the heavy achromatic fume and aggravated vigor generated rapidly filled the basement and dispersed rapidly passim the building.

Why was unit members forced to leap from windows to escape?

The fume dispersed rapidly passim the building, severely compromising visibility and restricting entree to designated evacuation routes. Under these challenging conditions, immoderate occupants resorted to exiting done the windows successful their efforts to scope safety. The strength of the incidental created important upset and hindered effectual communication.

Were determination functioning occurrence alarms, wherefore didn’t it spell disconnected erstwhile the occurrence started?

The gathering is equipped with occurrence alarms and information systems. The alarms were triggered and though immoderate occupants indicated they heard them immoderate others didn’t. This is being investigated. However, alarms are installed connected each floors.

The occurrence reportedly started astir 10:00am, wherefore did it instrumentality implicit 3 hours for occurrence work and ambulances to respond?

The occurrence started astir 1:20pm. The on-site occurrence champions activated the occurrence protocol portion the archetypal responders came successful astir 20 minutes later. We stay grateful for their efforts, and for the enactment of well-meaning Nigerians who helped bring the concern nether control

What were the occurrence evacuation contingency plans enactment successful spot successful the Towers?

Afriland Towers has documented information procedures, regular drills, and modular occurrence evacuation plans. However, the accelerated dispersed of heavy fume made evacuation highly difficult.

How is it that a gathering similar that has nary exigency exits and unit had to interruption windows for the fume to escape?

The gathering is designed with 2 dedicated exigency staircases providing entree from each floors, arsenic good arsenic aggregate exit points connected the crushed floor. However, the accelerated dispersed of fume severely constricted the usage of these flight routes.

Why were determination nary fume extractors and occurrence sprinklers successful a gathering designed by a ‘supposed’ facilities absorption company?

Afriland Towers is equipped with occurrence information features, including fume extractors, occurrence reels, and extinguishers, each successful compliance with recommendations from some the Federal and State Fire Services. It is important to enactment that the occurrence was contained wrong its constituent of origin. We besides prosecute information regulators regularly to certify that our buildings conscionable each requirements for occupancy, and determination are valid certifications to verify this.

Were occurrence drills not conducted regularly for unit to cognize what to bash successful occurrence incidents?

Yes, occurrence drills are an integral portion of the information civilization astatine Afriland Towers. We person regular occurrence drills overseen by the occurrence work and the gathering information protocols are certified annually by some the national and authorities occurrence service. In addition, each level of the gathering has a designated occurrence warden, and these occurrence wardens are trained annually.

Why was UBA’s archetypal connection dismissive erstwhile Afriland and Heirs Holdings is their sister company?

We judge that the archetypal connection was intended to forestall exigency services from being misdirected, arsenic aboriginal reports mistakenly suggested that the UBA caput bureau was connected fire. We besides admit their consequent clarifications and their expressions of sympathy.

How galore casualties really occurred and what enactment are you providing for their families?

Sadly, we recorded 10 fatalities, including members of United Capital Plc and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. We widen our deepest condolences to their families and are moving intimately ...