One dead, three rescued in Lagos building collapse

A one-storey building under construction collapsed on Sunday in the Idi Araba area of Mushin, Lagos State, killing one person and injuring three others.

A statement from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Monday said it received distress alerts at 3:40 p.m. and activated its emergency response plan from its Cappa base.

The statement stated that LASEMA arrived at the scene, directly opposite the Idi Araba Central Mosque, by 3:56 p.m. to begin search and rescue operations.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered that a one-storey building undergoing construction had collapsed, with several victims trapped under the debris,” said Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of LASEMA.

“The agency and other first responders have been battling a collapsed building in the Isaga area. We were able to rescue three people and recover one fatality. The place has been brought down to ground zero.”

In a separate statement, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also confirmed the fatality.

“So far, one person has been confirmed dead, while three others have been rescued alive,” said Ibrahim Farinloye, coordinator of NEMA’s Lagos Territorial Office.

Site cordoned off

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the site has been cordoned off, and heavy-duty equipment, including excavators, has been deployed to continue the search and ensure structural safety.

However, he said the cause of the collapse has not been officially determined. Investigations are ongoing.

This incident adds to the troubling pattern of building collapses in Lagos State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how a building that was undergoing additional construction to convert it into a four-storey structure crashed and killed five residents of the state.

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The crash also injured 13 people who were either staff of Equal Right Restaurant housed by the building or labourers at the construction site.

According to data compiled by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, over 100 buildings have collapsed in the state since 2005. Lagos accounted for nearly one-third of the 62 recorded building collapse cases nationwide in 2022.

Experts frequently cite poor construction practices, the use of substandard materials, and weak regulatory enforcement as key factors behind the recurring incidents.

In 2021, the collapse of a 21-storey building in Ikoyi claimed 42 lives and prompted a government inquiry that revealed violations of approved building limits.

Although the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) is tasked with oversight, enforcement lapses persist.