Fire on Thursday engulfed the second floor of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) terminal but was quickly put off before a major damage was done.
THISDAY gathered that the fire started in the commercial department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on the second floor of the terminal.
Passengers and other airport users at the departure hall started running helter-skelter when they saw smoke wafting from the floor above in the building but it was quickly put off.
THISDAY learnt the fire was ignited by power surge during a heavy but brief rainfall.
The General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, Yakubu Dati, explained: “There was a minor smoke incident at the departures hall of the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 11:45 a.m. today.
“The smoke was quickly traced to the electric panel room on the second floor of the terminal by a combined team of FAAN’s electrical engineers and fire officers.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident was caused by a short circuit at the panel room which was quickly arrested by the engineers on duty.
“The authority wish to assure the travelling public and other airport users that there was no immediate danger to anyone as a result of the incident neither did it affect flight operations at the terminal.
“The authority has directed the Directorate of Engineering and Maintenance to commence immediate investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the said short-circuiting of the cables,” he said.