Two people were confirmed dead yesterday, while 14 others were rescued alive from the debris after a three-storey building with a penthouse under construction collapsed on Oriwu Street in the Lekki area of Lagos.
However, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reported that six individuals were rescued. The victims were construction workers at the site, located at House 29, Oriwu Street.
The exact cause of the collapse remains unknown, but the incident occurred around 4 p.m. The bodies of the deceased were recovered at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hudenyin, stated that officers were dispatched to the scene immediately after receiving the report. He said, “Two persons died. A total of 14 persons have so far been rescued and taken to Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment. Officers of the Command remain on-site to ensure security during the ongoing rescue operations.”
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Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, explained that emergency response teams were activated following distress calls received through the state’s emergency toll-free lines (767/112). LASEMA’s response teams from the Lekki and Cappa bases arrived at the scene and confirmed that a three-storey building under construction had collapsed.
“The immediate cause of the collapse is yet to be determined,” he said. “So far, two adult males have been pulled from the rubble. Six seriously injured individuals received immediate medical attention from the LRU Pre-Hospital Care Unit before being transported to Marina General Hospital for further treatment.
“LASEMA response teams have launched search and rescue operations, coordinating with other relevant agencies for an effective response. The agency’s heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, has been deployed and remains in use as the operation continues.”
Emergency responders at the scene included the Police, LASEMA Response Team (LRT), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other relevant agencies.
