One dead, two rescued in Lagos building collapse

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One person died while two others were rescued alive following the partial collapse of a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition in Aboru, Lagos.

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The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

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The statement was signed by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said the incident occurred at about midnight at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, in the Alimosho area of the state.

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He said its Alpha Eagle Response Team was dispatched from the Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit, at 12:56 a.m. following a distress call.

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According to him, the team arrived at the scene within the projected response time and confirmed that workers were trapped beneath the rubble.

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“Preliminary findings indicate that the building was being manually demolished when the collapse occurred,” he said.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said the agency immediately activated the state’s Emergency Response Plan and assumed incident command to coordinate the multi-agency rescue operation.

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He said two adult males were successfully extricated alive from the debris during the search and rescue operation.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) administered life-saving first aid to the rescued victims.

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He said the victims were subsequently transported to a nearby health facility for further medical attention.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said one adult male was also recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure.

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He commiserated with the family of the deceased and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured victims.

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He said the ongoing rescue operation was being jointly conducted by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS.

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He said the incident area had been cordoned off to protect residents and provide rescue personnel with unhindered access to the site.

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Oke-Osanyintolu added that community leaders and security agencies were working with emergency responders to ensure the operation was concluded safely and thoroughly.

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He reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State Government to protecting lives and property across the state.

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He urged members of the public and developers to comply strictly with building regulations and engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction activities.

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The Permanent Secretary also urged residents to report suspicious or unsafe building activities through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency numbers.

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He said the state government remained committed to strengthening emergency response through capacity building, equipment and decentralisation of response units.

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According to him, the measures were aimed at ensuring a 10-minute emergency response time across Lagos.

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He said further updates would be provided as the rescue and recovery operation progressed. (NAN)

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