ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- One person has been confirmed dead and 10 others rescued after a three-storey building collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos State on Thursday, triggering a massive multi-agency rescue operation amid fears that more victims remain trapped beneath the rubble.
The building, a shopping complex located on Old Ojo Road near Alakija Bus Stop along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town, reportedly collapsed at about 11:40 a.m.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Building Control Agency and other agencies swiftly mobilised to the scene as efforts intensified to locate and rescue trapped victims.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency immediately activated its emergency response mechanism following the incident.
“LASEMA has activated its emergency response following the collapse of a three-storey shopping complex at Alakija, Ori-Ade LCDA,” he said.
Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that rescue workers were carrying out a coordinated and systematic search of the collapsed structure amid concerns that additional victims remained trapped beneath the debris.
“A multi-agency rescue operation is ongoing, with responders working systematically to search for and extricate anyone trapped beneath the rubble,” he stated.
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He said two persons were initially rescued alive through the combined efforts of emergency responders, while one deceased victim was recovered from the site.
“Two victims have been rescued alive through the joint efforts of LASEMA, LASBCA and CRCC Construction Company.
“One deceased adult male has been located. Recovery efforts are ongoing,” he said.
The LASEMA boss added that preliminary reports suggested that shop owners and other occupants who had resumed business activities before the collapse could still be trapped.
“There are reports that additional persons, including shop owners who had resumed business, may still be trapped. Search and rescue operations remain active,” he said.
According to him, heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, had been deployed to support rescue efforts and speed up access to trapped victims.
“Heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, is being deployed to support rescue efforts,” Oke-Osanyintolu added.
He appealed to members of the public to remain calm and stay away from the disaster scene to allow emergency personnel unrestricted access.
“Members of the public are advised to remain calm, avoid the incident scene, and allow emergency responders unrestricted access to carry out life-saving operations,” he said.
LASEMA assured residents that verified updates would continue to be provided as the operation progresses.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service revealed that it received a distress call at 11:37 a.m. and immediately deployed personnel from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station, who arrived at the scene at 11:49 a.m.
In a separate statement, the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, described the structure as a residential building occupied by several residents when it collapsed.
“The incident involves the collapse of a storey building, an existing residential structure occupied by multiple residents at the time of the incident,” she said.
Adeseye disclosed that rescue workers had so far pulled 10 survivors from the rubble and handed them over to medical personnel for treatment.
“As of the time of this report, 10 persons have been rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and have been handed over to medical personnel for necessary treatment,” she stated.
She added that search-and-rescue efforts remained ongoing as responders continued combing through the debris for possible survivors.
“Search and rescue operations remain ongoing as emergency responders continue efforts to locate, extricate, and evacuate any persons who may still be trapped beneath the debris,” Adeseye said.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not established the cause of the collapse.
Rescue operations were still ongoing, with emergency agencies working against time to locate and save anyone believed to be trapped under the wreckage.