One dead, 10 rescued in Lagos building collapse

One person has been confirmed dead while 10 others were rescued following the collapse of a three-storey shopping complex at Alakija in Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

The building collapsed on Thursday morning.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it activated its emergency response immediately after the incident, with a multi-agency rescue operation currently underway at the scene.

LASEMA, in a statement issued by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that the two survivors were rescued through the joint efforts of the agency, Lagos State Building Control Agency, and the China Railway Construction Corporation Construction Company.

LASEMA confirmed that an adult male’s body was located within the rubble.

The agency disclosed that there were indications that more persons, including shop owners who had resumed business activities in the building, might still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Many feared trapped as building collapses in Lagos

It added that search and rescue teams were continuing operations to locate any remaining victims.

“To facilitate the rescue efforts, heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, has been deployed to the site to assist in clearing debris and gaining access to trapped persons,” it said.

LASEMA appealed to members of the public to remain calm and stay away from the scene to allow emergency responders unrestricted access to conduct life-saving operations.

The agency noted that the cause of the building collapse had yet to be ascertained, adding that investigations would commence after the conclusion of rescue operations.