One person has died while two others were rescued after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed in the Aboru area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at No. 42 Governors Road, Aboru, according to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
Following the incident, LASEMA’s Alpha Eagle Response Team was deployed from its Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit at 12:56 a.m. and arrived at the scene within the projected response time.
Two rescued from collapsed building
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency said preliminary investigations showed that the building was being manually demolished when it suddenly collapsed.
The agency said its coordinated search-and-rescue operation led to the recovery of two adult males who were trapped beneath the rubble.
The victims were rescued alive and given emergency first aid by personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
They were subsequently transported to a nearby health facility for further medical treatment.
However, one adult male was later recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure.
LASEMA, Fire Service continue rescue operation
LASEMA said the operation was being carried out jointly with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS.
The affected area has been cordoned off to protect residents and provide emergency responders with unhindered access to the site.
Community leaders and security agencies are also working with the emergency management authorities to ensure the operation is concluded safely.
LASEMA warns against unsafe demolition
Oke-Osanyintolu reiterated the Lagos State Government’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
He urged residents, property owners and developers to comply strictly with building regulations and ensure that demolition and construction activities are handled only by certified professionals.
The LASEMA Permanent Secretary also urged members of the public to report suspicious or unsafe building activities immediately.
Residents can contact the agency through the 767 or 112 toll-free emergency numbers.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that the Lagos State Government would continue investing in emergency response equipment, personnel training and the decentralisation of response units to achieve its target of a 10-minute emergency response time across the state.
