By Desire Emmanuel
Fifteen persons were rescued while others are currently trapped after a two-storey building collapsed in Lagos a few minutes after midnight on Monday morning.
According to a situation report released by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, the building is located at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop in the Oyingbo area of the state.
Adeseye, in the situation report, said the Sari-Iganmu Fire Station team was immediately deployed to the scene after receiving a distress call at about 12:20 a.m. on Monday.
The agency confirmed that the structure, which had previously shown signs of distress, gave way while residents were still inside.
“It is an ongoing rescue involving an existing two-storey building which has reportedly been marked in distress before collapsing on the occupants,” the statement said.
“So far, 15 people — including seven men, four women and four children — have been rescued with varying degrees of injuries and taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute‑Metta and General Hospital, Odan in Lagos Island,” the statement added.
As of the time of filing this report, rescue efforts were still ongoing.
Building collapses in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, have become a distressingly frequent occurrence.
Such incidents are often tied to weak enforcement of regulations, sub-standard materials, and inadequate inspections.
NEMA gives update on Lagos collapsed building, says 13 rushed to hospital, rescue operations ongoing
