A two-storey building under construction collapsed, yesterday, on Ishaga Road, opposite the Central Mosque in the Idi Araba area of Mushin, Lagos State.
One body was recovered from the rubble, while three persons were rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The cause of the collapse could not be ascertained, but concerns were raised about the structural integrity of the building and potential safety lapses.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with debris scattered across the road and dust filling the air.
One eyewitness, Justine Madueke, said: “I was passing by when I heard a loud noise, and the building just came crashing down. It is a miracle that more people were not hurt.”
Rescue operations were conducted by officials from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency responders.
The South West Coordinator of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, said operations were still ongoing to locate and rescue any potential survivors trapped beneath the rubble.
He stated that two persons were initially rescued from the debris, while the third was rescued alive at 6:35 p.m. Unfortunately, the fourth person, a male, was recovered dead at 8:00 p.m.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, explained that “the distress call was received at approximately 3:30 p.m.
“Responding agencies included the Isolo Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, and the Nigeria Police.
“Three adult males have been rescued alive with varying degrees of injury. They were attended to at the scene before being transferred to the hospital for further treatment by the Lagos State Ambulance Service. The cause of the emergency is currently under investigation.”