Panic in Lagos as Three-Storey Building Collapses, Rescue Efforts Continue

A three-storey shopping complex collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos on Thursday, leaving one person dead, 10 others rescued, while an unspecified number of people are feared trapped beneath the rubble.

The building, located on Old Ojo Road near Alakija Bus Stop, off the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town, collapsed at about 11:40 a.m., prompting an emergency response from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and other rescue agencies.

In a statement, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said a coordinated rescue operation was underway to locate and extricate victims trapped in the debris.

According to him, responders were conducting a systematic search of the site amid fears that more victims could still be trapped.

Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that two persons were initially rescued alive, while the body of one deceased adult male was recovered from the scene.

He added that reports indicated additional persons, including shop owners who had resumed business activities, might still be trapped in the collapsed structure.

The LASEMA boss further revealed that heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, had been deployed to support ongoing rescue efforts.

He appealed to residents to stay away from the scene and allow emergency workers unrestricted access to carry out life-saving operations.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said it received a distress call at 11:37 a.m. and immediately mobilised personnel from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station, who arrived at the scene at 11:49 a.m.

Controller General of the agency, Margaret Adeseye, said the collapsed structure was a residential building occupied by several residents at the time of the incident.

She disclosed that 10 persons had so far been rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and handed over to medical personnel for treatment.

Adeseye added that search and rescue operations were continuing as emergency responders comb through the debris in search of possible survivors.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to determine the cause of the building collapse.