The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed one death and the rescue of three adult males following the collapse of a two-storey building under construction in Fadeyi, Lagos.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at Akinola Street, near Fadeyi Bus Stop, off Ikorodu Road.
He said LASEMA received a distress call at 12:10 a.m. and immediately activated its Cobra Response Team from the Onipanu Base. The team arrived at the scene two minutes later and discovered that construction workers might be trapped beneath the rubble.
Search and rescue operations began immediately, with safety measures put in place to protect victims and emergency responders. Groaning sounds were reportedly heard beneath the debris, raising hopes that more people could be alive.
An excavator was deployed to support the operation, while the rescued victims received immediate pre-hospital care from LASEMA paramedics and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being transferred to hospital.
Other responders at the scene included the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Alagbon Division.
The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined and will be investigated by the relevant regulatory agencies. Search and rescue operations were ongoing to establish whether more people remained trapped beneath the rubble.
Oke-Osanyintolu commiserated with the family of the deceased and wished the rescued victims a speedy recovery.
He also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to addressing substandard construction and strengthening monitoring and enforcement in collaboration with the Lagos State Building Control Agency to prevent similar incidents.
