The death toll from the two-storey building collapse at Cole Street, Oyingbo area of Lagos State, has risen to two, while 25 others were rescued from the debris.
DAILY POST reports that the collapse, which occurred around 12:40 a.m. on Monday, caught many residents in their sleep, leaving several trapped beneath the rubble.
Emergency officials confirmed that one of the victims initially rescued alive later died at the hospital, bringing the number of casualties to two.
In a statement on Monday, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, said a total of 26 victims, comprising 20 adult males, four adult females, and two boys, were pulled out from the collapsed structure.
LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said a coordinated search and rescue operation was swiftly launched in collaboration with multiple emergency response agencies to ensure that no one was left beneath the wreckage.
“So far, 26 persons have been rescued from the site. Five who sustained minor injuries have been treated and discharged, while one fatality was confirmed earlier. Sadly, another victim who was rescued alive later died in the hospital. The recovered bodies have been handed over to the appropriate authorities,” he said.
Oke-Osanyintolu explained that the operation was jointly carried out with the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Red Cross, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, LNSC.
Preliminary investigations by LASBCA officials revealed that the building had shown visible signs of structural weakness before the collapse. The affected area has since been cordoned off to allow for safety assessments and further investigations to determine the exact cause of the disaster.
Oke-Osanyintolu commended the synergy among all responding agencies and volunteers, urging residents to remain calm and cooperate with officials as clearance continues.
He assured that the Lagos State Government remains fully committed to protecting lives and property, stressing that enforcement of building regulations would be strengthened to prevent future occurrences.
As of the time of filing this report, emergency teams had cleared most of the debris and were working to reach ground level in the ongoing recovery efforts.
