- Two people were confirmed dead while 28 others were rescued after a building collapse in Lagos early Monday.
- The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) said the collapsed two-storey structure had been previously marked distressed.
- Emergency responders including LASEMA, LASAMBUS, and NEMA worked through the night to search for survivors.
- Authorities have launched an investigation into possible structural negligence and the use of substandard materials.
At least two people lost their lives while 28 others were rescued after a two-storey building collapsed in Lagos at 49 Coates Street, off Oyingbo Road, in the early hours of Monday. The tragic building collapse has raised fresh questions about structural negligence and enforcement of safety regulations across the state.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) said it received a distress call around 12:20 a.m. and dispatched responders from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station, who arrived at the scene within minutes to begin rescue operations.
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Beatrice Makinde, the Director of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), confirmed the two fatalities, a man and an elderly woman, while noting that several survivors were taken to nearby hospitals.
Residents described the terrifying moment the building gave way, saying it began with a cracking sound that jolted people out of sleep. One resident said a man who visited the premises late Sunday had not been seen since the incident, though officials have not confirmed this.
Teams from LASEMA, LASAMBUS, the Fire Service, the Nigerian Police, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were at the site, using heavy machinery to dig through the rubble. The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said rescue efforts would continue until all residents were accounted for.
Oke-Osanyintolu revealed that investigations had begun to determine whether the collapse was due to structural fatigue or poor construction materials. He stressed that anyone found responsible would face prosecution.
Residents alleged that the building had been repeatedly marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) but that the owner ignored the warnings and carried out unauthorised renovations. Some tenants had moved out earlier after noticing visible cracks, while others remained until the collapse occurred.
The LSFRS Controller General, Margaret Adeseye, said 15 people, including seven men, four women, and four children, were rescued with various degrees of injury and taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute Meta and Lagos Island General Hospital. She confirmed that the building had earlier been declared unsafe but remained occupied.
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Adeseye noted that LSFRS and other emergency teams were fully mobilised to ensure all victims were accounted for. “It is an ongoing rescue involving an existing two-storey building which had been marked distressed before it collapsed on its occupants,” she stated.
Emergency responders distributed water, food, and temporary relief materials to displaced residents while security operatives cordoned off the area to facilitate smooth rescue operations.
