The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed one death and the rescue of three adult males following the collapse of a two-storey building under construction in Fadeyi, Lagos.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
He said the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at Akinola Street, near Fadeyi Bus Stop, off Ikorodu Road.
According to him, LASEMA received a distress call at 12:10 a.m. and immediately deployed its Cobra Response Team from the Onipanu Base. The team arrived at the scene two minutes later and began search and rescue operations after discovering that the building had collapsed, with construction workers suspected to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Oke-Osanyintolu said rescuers heard groaning sounds beneath the debris, raising hopes of finding survivors. An excavator was subsequently deployed to support the operation.
The three rescued victims received immediate pre-hospital care from LASEMA paramedics and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being taken to hospital.
Other agencies involved in the operation included the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Alagbon Division.
He said search and rescue operations were ongoing to determine whether more people remained trapped beneath the rubble.
The cause of the collapse had yet to be established, adding that relevant regulatory agencies would investigate the incident.
Oke-Osanyintolu commiserated with the family of the deceased and wished the rescued victims a speedy recovery.
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to tackling substandard construction and strengthening building monitoring and enforcement in collaboration with the Lagos State Building Control Agency to prevent future occurrences.
