The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has denied the report of a fire incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
On Thursday, online reports had said a fire incident occurred at the airport after an electrical fault that caused a complete loss of power in the old terminal.
The report claimed that travellers and workers were asked to evacuate to a larger departure hall due to thick smoke billowing from a section of the facility.
Speaking on the issue in a post on X, FAAN said the incident was only a minor wire spark and not a fire-related one.
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“Today’s incident at the airport was limited to a minor wire spark in one of the units and has already been addressed. It was not a fire-related incident and did not disrupt any airport operations,” the authority posted.
“The depiction and reporting of the event… were misleadingly sensationalized.”
In a statement on Friday, Obiageli Orah, the authority’s director of public affairs and consumer protection, said while there was a cable short circuit which resulted in a spark at about 11.20am at the E-arrival hall of the airport, it did not disrupt airport operations.
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She said contrary to the report on a national daily, the incident was swiftly resolved to ensure the safety of passengers and airport staff.
“In response to the incident and to prevent any further escalation, the power supply to that section of the airport was immediately switched off,” Orah said.
“The Engineering department promptly mobilised to identify the source of the spark, and the suspected cable was swiftly cut to stop the power flow.
“The incident lasted for only few minutes, and normalcy was restored. Airport operations were never disrupted.”
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Orah added that the safety and security of passengers and staff remains a top priority at the airport.
She also said the quick and effective response by the engineering department exemplified FAAN’s commitment to maintaining a safe and efficient airport environment.
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