One dies, three rescued as two-storey building collapses in Lagos

By Adebola Muili

Three people have been rescued alive while one person was recovered dead after a two-storey building under construction collapsed at Akinola Street, near Fadeyi Bus Stop, off Ikorodu Road, Lagos, on Friday.

Search and rescue operations were still ongoing as of 3:33 a.m. to determine whether more people were trapped beneath the rubble.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in a statement by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, on Friday, October 23, 2026.

According to the agency, it received a distress call at 12:10 a.m., prompting the immediate activation of its Cobra Response Team from the Onipanu Base. The team arrived at the scene at 12:12 a.m. and discovered that the two-storey building, which was under construction, had collapsed, with construction workers suspected to be trapped beneath the debris.

LASEMA said it immediately commenced search and rescue operations, with safety measures put in place to protect the victims and emergency responders.

During the operation, responders heard groaning sounds from beneath the rubble, indicating that there were survivors.

The agency subsequently deployed an excavator to support the operation, leading to the rescue of three adult males and the recovery of one adult male who had died.

The rescued victims received immediate pre-hospital care from LASEMA paramedics and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being transferred to a hospital for further treatment.

The operation was coordinated by LASEMA’s Director of Operations, Engr Akinsanya, and the Head of Cappa Base, Engr Salami, who were at the scene to provide operational oversight.

Other responders included the LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS and officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Alagbon Division.

The cause of the collapse had yet to be determined, with the agency saying it would be investigated by the relevant regulatory authorities.

The Lagos State Government commiserated with the family of the deceased and wished the rescued victims a speedy recovery.

It also reiterated its commitment to preventing building collapses, stressing that it would strengthen monitoring and enforcement in collaboration with the Lagos State Building Control Agency.

The government maintained its zero-tolerance stance on substandard construction and pledged to continue prioritising the protection of lives during emergency operations.

In a separate incident, LASEMA said its Tiger Response Team from the Command and Control Centre responded to a truck breakdown on the Third Mainland Bridge, inward Adeniji, on Thursday, October 22.

The truck, with registration number RBC-556XC, was conveying sofas when a mechanical fault immobilised it, obstructing vehicular movement.

The agency deployed its Super Metro heavy-duty recovery equipment to remove the vehicle but encountered technical challenges during the operation. The truck was eventually repaired at the scene and driven away, allowing the road to be cleared and reopened to traffic.

LASEMA assured residents that its emergency response teams remained on alert across the state, urging members of the public to report emergencies through its toll-free numbers, 767 and 112.