Dare Babalola
Six staff members of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have been confirmed dead following Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos.
Confirming this on Wednesday, Dare Adekanmbi, media aide to FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji, said the victims were on duty at the agency’s sixth and seventh-floor offices when the fire struck.
The statement read, “The management and entire staff are in deep shock and sorrow over the development.
“We offer our condolences to the grieving families and will provide all the necessary support at this trying time.”
The victims were identified as, Ekelikhostse George, assistant director; David Sunday-Jatto, assistant director; Nkem Onyemelukwe, senior manager; and Peter Ifaranmaye, manager.
The inferno, which started in the inverter room located in the basement of the high-rise, spread quickly through the building, trapping some workers on the upper floors.
Witnesses said security personnel raised the alarm and called in emergency responders, but the blaze had already gained ground before firefighters could contain it.
FIRS has since begun consultations with families of the deceased and pledged a review of safety measures across its offices nationwide.
It also reported that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing as it also affected the UBA building.
The tragedy has thrown the tax agency into mourning, underscoring once more the fragility of workplace safety in the country’s crowded commercial capital.
