The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that the smoke observed at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Sunday was not caused by a fire but by the discharge of the terminal’s fire suppression system.
The clarification came hours after the authority initially announced that a fire incident had occurred at the terminal, prompting an emergency response and raising concerns among passengers and airport users.
In its first statement, FAAN said a fire had broken out at Terminal 2 and disclosed that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) had been deployed to contain the situation.
“The FAAN Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service is currently responding to the incident and working diligently to contain the situation,” the authority said, adding that no casualties or loss of life had been recorded.
The announcement triggered emergency response measures at the airport before FAAN issued a fresh update later in the day, clarifying the nature of the incident.
According to the authority, preliminary investigations showed there was no fire at the terminal.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN said.
The authority added that normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations continue to determine what triggered the fire suppression system.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” it added.
Any report of fire or smoke at an airport automatically triggers emergency response procedures due to the potential risks to passengers, aircraft, and critical airport infrastructure.
FAAN also thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of airport operations.
Comes five months after a major fire incident at the airport
Although a fire did not cause Sunday’s incident, it came barely five months after a major blaze at the airport’s international terminal disrupted flight operations and damaged critical aviation infrastructure.
In February, PREMIUM TIMES reported that a fire at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport forced the temporary closure of the Lagos airfield, causing flight delays and diversions as emergency responders battled the blaze.
The incident left six people injured, while 14 people trapped inside the control tower were rescued. It also damaged critical infrastructure, including weather equipment belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
Following the February incident, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced plans to demolish the ageing Terminal 1 after describing the damage as extensive. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria also ordered a comprehensive structural audit of the affected facility ahead of reconstruction.
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While Sunday’s incident was quickly resolved without injuries or significant disruption to flight operations, it has renewed attention on the resilience of critical infrastructure and emergency preparedness at Nigeria’s busiest aviation gateway, coming just five months after the February fire.
The Murtala Muhammed International Airport is Nigeria’s busiest aviation gateway, handling millions of domestic and international passengers annually.
FAAN said investigations are continuing to determine why the FM-200 fire suppression system was activated and promised to provide further updates as more information becomes available.
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