More pictures of the CBN inferno

The timely intervention of the Federal, State and private fire services on Tuesday evening saved the old headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria at Tinubu Square in central Lagos from being razed down.

Mr Njoku Chika, Head of Fire Prevention, Federal Fire Service in Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the fire started at about 5.00 pm from the first floor on the left wing of the five storey building.

Chika said that the floor was housing the administrative department of the apex bank, stressing that the fire was put out by 5.10 pm.

“Fire services from the Federal, State, UBA, Union Bank collaborated to put out the inferno.

“The police and civil defence corps provided security to the areas.. No death was recorded,’’ Chika said.

Mr Rasak Fadipe, Director, Lagos State Fire Service, told NAN that one of his men was injured in the thick smoke, but the man was resuscitated.

The Central Bank now has its head office in Abuja.

In a statement Tuesday evening, bank assured stakeholders that the fire incident would not affect its business transaction.

Mr Isaac Okoroafor, on behalf of the CBN Director of Communications in Abuja said:

“We wish to assure our numerous stakeholders that the records of the bank are intact.

“The CBN has an effective backup of all its records as part of our disaster recovery infrastructure,’’ the statement said.

A friend said the mint house was affected, still yet to confirm that.