A devastating incident occurred in the early hours of Monday when a two-storey building collapsed at No. 54, Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, near UBA Bank, in the Oyingbo area of Lagos State, leaving many residents trapped under the debris.
Reports indicate that the tragedy happened shortly after midnight, shocking residents of the area and prompting an immediate emergency response.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS), a distress call was received at approximately 12:20 a.m., and firefighters from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station were swiftly dispatched to the scene, arriving just nine minutes later, at 12:29 a.m., to commence intensive search-and-rescue operations.
Confirming the unfortunate incident, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, stated that 15 people have so far been rescued alive from the wreckage. The survivors include seven adult males, four adult females, and four children, all of whom sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Adeseye explained that the injured victims were immediately taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, and the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island, where they are currently receiving urgent medical treatment.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the collapsed structure had earlier been marked as distressed by authorities, yet it remained occupied by residents at the time of the incident.
Adeseye further noted that rescue operations are ongoing, as emergency responders continue to search through the rubble for possible survivors still trapped beneath the collapsed building.
She assured members of the public that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, in collaboration with other emergency management agencies, remains fully deployed at the site to ensure that all trapped individuals are safely recovered.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the growing concern over distressed buildings in Lagos and the urgent need for enforcement of safety regulations to prevent future occurrences.
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