A devastating blaze at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos Island, has claimed 10 lives, with six employees of United Capital Plc among the victims. The tragedy unfolded hours after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) announced that four of its staff members perished in the inferno that engulfed the six-storey commercial building on Tuesday.

The fire reportedly ignited in the inverter room deep in the basement around 1:30 pm, quickly spiraling out of control. Flames billowed through the structure, and thick smoke blanketed the tower, causing frantic evacuations. Heart-pounding videos captured desperate individuals clinging to windows, desperately seeking escape as brave emergency responders battled the raging flames.

Lagos’s Fire and Rescue team managed to rescue nine people, reviving five of them, while four remained unconscious at the scene. United Capital Plc expressed profound grief over the loss of its six colleagues, calling them essential members of their corporate family. "Their departure leaves an unfillable void,” the company stated, promising support for the bereaved families and planning a memorial service to honor the fallen.

As the official death toll reaches 10, authorities have yet to release a full casualty report. Witnesses and inside sources warn that not everyone escaped alive, leaving a somber cloud hanging over the aftermath of this tragic event.