Afriland fire: Poor evacuation plan worsened deaths – HSENations CEO
The Chief Executive Officer of HSENations and convener of the African Safety Award for Excellence (AfriSAFE), Mr. Femi Da-silva, has urged regulators to strengthen building safety systems and ensure accountability after the Afriland Towers fire in Lagos, which claimed 10 lives, including staff of United Capital and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). In a statement, Da-silva described the tragedy as a reflection of systemic safety lapses, stressing the need for a full-scale investigation. Safety lapses highlighted “As we sympathise with the families, we must hold someone responsible for what has happened, no matter how highly placed,” Da-silva said. He noted that fire safety in high-rise buildings begins at the design stage, with compartmentation, fire-resistant materials, and fire-rated doors to contain flames. He questioned whether the building had adequate early warning systems and emergency response protocols. He suggested that poor […]
