A major fire has broken out at the United Bank for Africa, UBA, branch located on Lagos Island, sending thick smoke into the sky and causing panic among staff and residents.
Eyewitnesses said the blaze started in the early hours of Tuesday, with videos circulating online showing workers trying to escape through the windows as smoke engulfed the building.
“The fire began suddenly, and people were rushing out of the bank,” said a trader nearby. “We saw staff members climbing out through the windows to save their lives.”
Emergency responders were quickly mobilised to the scene, though as of press time, they had yet to issue an official statement on the cause or the extent of the damage.
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A Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service official, who declined to be named, confirmed that firefighters were working to bring the situation under control.
“Our teams are on the ground battling the flames,” the official said.
Videos of the incident shared on social media platforms showed black smoke billowing into the air, while alarmed residents and business owners gathered around the premises.
A resident, identified as Chuka Eze, said: “It was frightening. The smoke was so thick you could hardly see the street. People were shouting and calling for help.”
Bank officials have not yet commented on whether there were casualties or how many employees were inside the branch at the time of the outbreak.
Security operatives were also deployed to the scene to maintain order and prevent looting as emergency operations continued.
As of the time of reporting, efforts were still ongoing to contain the fire, and authorities advised residents to avoid the area for safety reasons.
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