Dare Babalola
A devastating building collapse occurred in Lagos early Monday morning, leaving several residents trapped beneath the rubble.
The two-storey building, located at No. 54, Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, near UBA Bank in Oyingbo, Lagos, had previously been marked as distressed.
This was disclosed in the situation report released by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye.
Adeseye, who confirmed the incident, said the Sari-Iganmu Fire Station team was immediately dispatched to the scene after receiving a distress call at about 12:20 a.m. on Monday.
The agency confirmed that the structure, which had previously shown signs of distress, gave way while residents were still inside.
“It is an ongoing rescue involving an existing two-storey building which has reportedly been marked in distress before collapsing on the occupants,” the statement said.
So far, 15 individuals have been rescued, including seven adult males, four adult females, and four children, all sustaining various injuries.
She assured that the LSFRS, in collaboration with other emergency agencies, remains fully mobilized to account for all those trapped.
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but authorities suspect weak regulatory enforcement and substandard materials may have contributed to the tragedy.
As of the time of filing this report, rescue efforts were still ongoing.
Building collapses, particularly in Lagos, Nigeria, have become alarmingly common, often linked to lax regulatory enforcement, subpar construction materials, and insufficient inspections.
