BUILDING COLLAPSE IN LAGOS TRAPS MULTIPLE, RESCUE OPERATIONS UNDERWAY

An undisclosed number of people are reportedly trapped after a two-storey building collapsed early Monday in Lagos. The incident took place at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop in the Oyingbo area.

Margaret Adeseye, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the situation. She noted that the building had previously shown signs of distress before its eventual collapse. The Sari-Iganmu Fire Station team was dispatched to the scene after a distress call was received at approximately 12:20 a.m.

As rescue efforts continue, fifteen individuals have been successfully extricated from the rubble. The rescued include seven men, four women, and four children, all with varying degrees of injury. They have been transported to medical facilities for treatment, including the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute-Metta and the General Hospital on Lagos Island.

Building collapses occur with alarming frequency in Nigeria, particularly in its largest city, Lagos. These incidents are often attributed to weak regulatory enforcement, the use of substandard construction materials, and inadequate inspections. This event follows other recent tragedies, including a high-rise building collapse in Ikoyi in November 2021 that claimed at least 42 lives, and a four-storey building collapse in Yaba in September 2025.

Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities work to assist those still affected.