One dead, eight rescued as another three-storey building Collapses in Lagos

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

One person has been confirmed dead, while eight others were rescued after a three-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed on Baale Alayabiagba Street, Alayabiagba Community, Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos on Thursday morning.

This is coming few days after a three-storey building collapsed at 2/4, Asesi Lane, Sasi Lane, (SASI Palace), Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, said emergency responders were swiftly deployed to the scene following a distress call received at about 11:09 a.m.

“Upon arrival of the Agency’s response team, it was observed that a three-storey building with a penthouse, which was being manually demolished, had collapsed, trapping some workers under the rubble,” Oke-Osanyintolu stated.

He explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the structure caved in while undergoing demolition, trapping several workers on site.

“Information gathered from community members indicated that the building was undergoing manual demolition before it collapsed,” he added.

According to the LASEMA boss, eight adult male workers were rescued alive, while one adult male was recovered dead from the debris.

The injured victims, he said, were given immediate medical attention by officials of Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being transported to Ajeromi General Hospital for further treatment.

Oke-Osanyintolu noted that the search and rescue operation was still ongoing at the site, with emergency teams working tirelessly to ensure that no victim was left unaccounted for.

“Our team, alongside other responders, conducted a coordinated search of the incident scene to ensure prompt rescue of victims trapped under the collapsed building,” he said, adding that “We also ensured proper management of the site and coordination with relevant stakeholders to guarantee a smooth and successful operation.”

Responders at the scene included LASEMA, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), LASAMBUS, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Nigeria Police Force.

The cause of the collapse, Oke-Osanyintolu added, would be determined after a detailed investigation.