Afriland Tower fire smoke kills 10 in Lagos after toxic lithium battery fumes spread, prompting a nationwide fire safety audit

The fire erupted on Tuesday at the six-storey tower in Marina, Lagos Island, trapping dozens of occupants. Viral videos showed people leaping from windows while others were rescued with ladders by passers-by.

Also read: Bola Tinubu Condolence Message Follows Deadly Lagos Fire

Hours later, a second blaze gutted Mandilas Market and nearby plazas on Taiwo Street, compounding the district’s devastation.

According to emergency officials, all 10 confirmed deaths — staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service and United Capital Plc — occurred in hospital, not at the scene. Victims had inhaled hazardous smoke laced with carbon monoxide and heavy metals before help arrived.

A senior responder explained: “The fire itself was never the threat. It was the lithium battery powering the inverter. Nobody can inhale that smoke for one minute without becoming unconscious.”

Medical experts confirmed the inhalation of carbon monoxide and toxic metals displaced oxygen in victims’ bloodstreams, causing organ failure.

A chemist, Bankole Owolabi, warned that lithium battery fumes contain cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which can accumulate in the body and trigger cancers.

Afriland Properties, managers of the tower, admitted in a statement that the fire began in the inverter room, with smoke spreading rapidly through stairwells and exits.

The Federal Fire Service has since announced a nationwide safety compliance audit of public and private buildings. Its spokesman, Paul Abraham, said a task force will enforce standards, sanction errant facilities, and train staff.

Both President Bola Tinubu and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu have expressed deep condolences, describing the incident as painful and shocking.

Tinubu also extended sympathy to institutions affected, including FIRS, UBA, and Afriland Properties.

United Capital confirmed it lost six staff, while the FIRS identified four deceased employees, bringing the total death toll to 10.

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The Afriland Tower fire has reignited debate on safety compliance in Lagos’ commercial hubs, where ageing high-rises and inverter systems pose recurring hazards. Analysts argue that stricter enforcement of fire codes is vital if such tragedies are to be avoided.