A two-storey building under construction has collapsed at Otta Ona Junction, near the Mobil Filling Station bus stop in Ikorodu, Lagos State, leaving three people dead and several others injured.
According to a situation update released by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Wednesday, the agency promptly activated the state’s emergency response plans following distress alerts.
The agency said teams were mobilised from the Agbowa, Alausa, and Cappa bases to the scene of the incident.
Upon arrival, LASEMA’s Lion, Tiger, and Eagle Response Teams discovered that three individuals were trapped beneath the rubble.
Despite rescue efforts, the victims—a teenage girl and two adult males—were recovered lifeless.
However, the agency revealed that nine adult males were successfully rescued and attended to by LASEMA’s Pre-Hospital Care Unit.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined as of the time of this report. LASEMA stated that investigations are ongoing to ascertain what led to the structural failure of the building, which was still under construction at the time it came down.
To support the rescue operation, the agency said it deployed heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, to clear the debris and locate victims.
Floodlights were also used to illuminate the site and facilitate operations during the night. The bodies of the deceased have since been handed over to officers of the Igbogbo Police Division.
Search and rescue efforts were still underway at the time of filing this report. LASEMA noted that the affected structure is in the process of being deconstructed to ground level to ensure the safety of emergency personnel and the general public.
The emergency operation saw the involvement of several key agencies, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Police Force, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
