One person has been confirmed dead while two others were rescued alive after a three-storey shopping complex collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos State on Thursday, prompting an intensive rescue operation amid fears that more victims may still be trapped beneath the rubble.
The building, located within Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area (LCDA), reportedly collapsed at about 11:40 a.m., sending residents, traders and passers-by into panic as the structure came crashing down.
Emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene, where a multi-agency rescue operation is currently underway.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that two victims were successfully rescued alive from the debris through the combined efforts of its personnel, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) Construction Company.
Providing an update on the incident, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that the body of an adult male had also been recovered from the collapsed structure.
According to him, reports from the scene indicate that additional persons may still be trapped beneath the rubble, including shop owners who had resumed business activities before the building gave way.
“A multi-agency rescue operation is ongoing, with responders working systematically to search for and extricate anyone trapped beneath the rubble,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He added that heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, had been deployed to accelerate rescue efforts and improve access to areas of concern within the collapsed structure.
Eyewitnesses said the building suddenly collapsed without warning, creating a thick cloud of dust and forcing people in the vicinity to flee for safety.
Images from the scene showed the three-storey complex reduced to a massive heap of concrete, twisted iron rods and other construction materials, while anxious residents gathered nearby as rescue teams worked tirelessly to locate possible survivors.
LASEMA urged members of the public to remain calm and stay away from the area to allow emergency personnel unrestricted access to conduct life-saving operations.
The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined.
However, authorities are expected to launch a full-scale investigation after rescue operations are concluded to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether any building regulations were violated.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted the recurring challenge of building collapses in Lagos, where structural failures have claimed lives and destroyed property over the years.
Government agencies have repeatedly warned developers, contractors and property owners against the use of substandard materials and non-compliance with approved building standards, while intensifying inspections of distressed structures across the state.
As rescue efforts continue at the Alakija site, residents have expressed hope that more survivors will be pulled from the rubble alive.
