A building collapse in the Fadeyi area of Lagos has left one person dead, while three others have been rescued alive as emergency responders continue search and rescue operations at the scene.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at Akinola Street, near Fadeyi Bus Stop, off Ikorodu Road, when a two-storey building under construction collapsed, trapping suspected construction workers beneath the rubble.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that the agency received a distress call at 12:10 a.m. and immediately activated its Cobra Response Team from the Onipanu Base.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the team arrived at the scene two minutes later, at 12:12 a.m., and commenced search and rescue operations after discovering that workers might be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
He revealed that responders heard groaning sounds from beneath the debris, indicating that some victims could still be alive.
The agency subsequently deployed an excavator to facilitate rescue efforts while ensuring the safety of both the victims and emergency personnel.
According to him, three adult males had been rescued alive as of 3:33 a.m., while the body of another adult male had been recovered from the wreckage.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the rescued victims received immediate pre-hospital medical attention from LASEMA paramedics and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being transferred to a hospital for further treatment.
He added that search and rescue operations remained ongoing to establish whether more people were trapped beneath the debris.
The operation was being coordinated by LASEMA’s Director of Operations, Engineer Akinsanya, and the Head of Cappa Base, Engineer Salami, who were at the scene to supervise the response.
Other agencies involved in the operation included the LASEMA Response Team, LRU paramedics, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS and officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Alagbon Division.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the cause of the collapse had yet to be determined, adding that the incident would be investigated by the relevant regulatory authorities.
He conveyed the Lagos State Government’s condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the survivors a speedy recovery.
The Permanent Secretary reiterated the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to enforcing building safety standards, stressing that the government maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards substandard construction.
He said the government would continue to strengthen monitoring and enforcement in collaboration with the Lagos State Building Control Agency to prevent future building collapse incidents.