One person was killed and two others injured after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition partially collapsed in the Alimosho area of Lagos State on Thursday.
The incident occurred at No. 42 Governors Road, Aboru, following a distress call that prompted the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASTMA) to deploy its Alpha Eagle Response Team from the Cappa, Oshodi unit at 12:56 a.m.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene, cordoned off the area and commenced search and rescue operations.
Preliminary findings by LASEMA indicated that the building collapsed while manual demolition work was ongoing, trapping several workers beneath the debris.
A coordinated rescue operation involving LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Ambulance Service led to the rescue of two adult males.
The injured workers received first aid from LASAMBUS personnel at the scene before being taken to a nearby health facility for further treatment.
However, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the rubble.
“One adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure,” LASTMA said in a statement.
LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, commiserated with the family of the deceased and wished the injured workers a speedy recovery.
He urged developers and property owners to comply with building regulations and engage certified professionals for demolition and construction work.
Oke-Osanyintolu also called on residents to report suspicious or unsafe building activities through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency numbers.
Security agencies and community leaders are working with LASEMA to provide access for emergency responders and ensure the safe conclusion of the operation.
The state government said it would continue to invest in decentralised emergency response units and equipment to sustain a 10-minute response time across Lagos.
The latest incident occurred just over two months after a three-storey building collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos, killing eight people, including a baby, while 26 others were rescued.
The collapsed structure, reportedly a shopping complex, caved in and triggered panic among residents and passersby in the area.
