One person has been killed and two others injured after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition partially collapsed in the Alimosho area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, prompting the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to deploy its Alpha Eagle Response Team from the Cappa-Oshodi unit at 12:56 a.m.
The emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the distress call, cordoned off the affected area and commenced search and rescue operations.
Preliminary findings by LASEMA indicated that the building collapsed while workers were carrying out manual demolition, leaving several people trapped beneath the debris.
A joint rescue operation involving LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) resulted in the rescue of two adult males from the rubble.
The agency said LASAMBUS personnel administered life-saving first aid to the rescued victims at the scene before they were taken to a nearby health facility for further medical evaluation.
“Sadly, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure,” LASEMA confirmed in a statement.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, condoled with the family of the deceased and wished the injured victims a quick recovery.
Oke-Osanyintolu reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to protecting lives and property while warning developers and property owners against compromising safety during construction or demolition activities.
“We urge members of the public and developers to adhere strictly to building regulations and to engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction activities,” he stated.
He also urged residents to promptly report suspected unsafe building or demolition activities through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines.
LASEMA added that security agencies and community leaders were collaborating with the emergency management agency to facilitate access for responders and ensure that the operation was concluded safely.
The state government further reiterated its commitment to strengthening emergency response through the decentralisation of response units and expansion of equipment capacity, with the goal of maintaining a 10-minute emergency response time across Lagos.
One dead, two injured as building collapses during demolition in Lagos