By Lawani Mikairu

LAGOS—The Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos   was yesterday saved from being razed down following a quick intervention of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, fire fighters after fire broke out on the fifth floor of the Airport terminal.

The fire, said to have been caused by an electric spark, started at about 11.45 a.m. on the fifth floor of the terminal where the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has its’ offices. The departure hall on the first floor of the terminal was enveloped by smoke as passengers and workers ran out of the hall for safety.

*Airport

Vanguard was at the scene of the fire and witnessed the efforts of FAAN fire fighters, using tender truck with number plate P6-03 and a pick-up van fire tender with number plate FKJ-407-AS, to put out the fire. It took about an hour for the fire to be put under control. The fire fighters later told reporters that the smoke at the departure hall passed through a hose down from the 5th floor where the fire started.

Reacting to the fire incident, FAAN General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr Yakubu Dati said preliminary investigation reveals that the incident was caused by a short circuit at the panel room. And that there was no immediate danger to anyone as a result neither did it affect flight operations at the terminal.

Dati said: “There was a minor smoke incident at the departures hall of the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 11:45am today, Thursday, November 23, 2014.

“The smoke was quickly traced to the electric panel room on the second (5th) floor of the terminal by a combined team of FAAN’s electrical engineers and fire officers.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident was caused by a short circuit at the panel room which was quickly arrested by the engineers on duty.

“The Authority wishes to assure the traveling public and other airport users that there was no immediate danger to anyone as a result of the incident neither did it affect flight operations at the terminal.

“The Authority has directed the Directorate of Engineering and Maintenance to commence immediate investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the said short-circuiting of the cables.”