Tragedy struck in the early hours of Monday when a two-storey building collapsed at No. 54, Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, near UBA Bank, Oyingbo, Lagos, leaving several residents trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after midnight, throwing the neighbourhood into panic as residents and passers-by made frantic efforts to save those buried under the debris.
Confirming the development, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) said it received a distress call at 12:20 a.m., prompting firefighters from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station to arrive at the scene at 12:29 a.m. for immediate search-and-rescue operations.
The Director of the LSFRS, Margaret Adeseye, said 15 persons had been rescued alive from the collapsed structure.
“Seven adult males, four adult females, and four children have so far been rescued with varying degrees of injury,” Adeseye stated.
She added that the victims had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, and the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island, for urgent medical attention.
Preliminary investigations, according to the fire service, revealed that the collapsed building had earlier been marked as distressed by relevant authorities but was still occupied by residents at the time of the incident.
Emergency responders were said to have faced challenges gaining full access to the site due to the dense residential layout of the area.
“Rescue efforts are still ongoing as emergency responders continue to comb through the debris for any remaining victims feared trapped,” Adeseye added.
Naijaonpoint reports that the LSFRS boss assured members of the public that the agency, in collaboration with other emergency management teams, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and paramedics, remained fully mobilised at the scene.
“We are on site with all relevant emergency agencies to ensure that every trapped individual is safely recovered,” she said.
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