The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that two people lost their lives, while 20 others were rescued after a two-storey building collapsed on Monday at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop in the Oyingbo area of Lagos State.
NEMA disclosed the update in a post on its X handle on Tuesday, noting that its Lagos Operations Office led a coordinated multi-agency response to distress calls immediately after the collapse.
The statement read:
“Upon arrival, emergency teams discovered several occupants trapped beneath the debris.
After several hours of intensive operations, 20 persons were rescued alive, while those with injuries were promptly evacuated to nearby hospitals for treatment. Sadly, two fatalities were confirmed.”
According to NEMA, the operation, which involved collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other responders, ensured all occupants were accounted for before the rescue mission was concluded.
“All occupants were accounted for, and the search and rescue mission was officially concluded. The site has since been cleared under the supervision of the Nigeria Police Force, which also maintained security and crowd control throughout the exercise,” the agency stated.
Preliminary findings revealed that the collapsed structure had earlier been marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), but residents allegedly refused to vacate.
“Preliminary assessment revealed that the collapsed structure had been previously marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency, but occupants reportedly ignored the evacuation directive,” NEMA added.
When PUNCH Metro visited the scene, some residents admitted they had long been aware of the building’s distressed state.
A shop owner, Mrs. Adaeze, said:
“I was called in the middle of the night that the building had collapsed, and I had to rush down here. When I got here, I saw that my goods, worth millions of naira, were trapped under the building. Some of them have been destroyed.
The government had been giving us notice to leave the place because the building is distressed, but the owner has not been cooperating.”
She added that her goods were still buried under the rubble and appealed for government assistance to cushion her losses.
Another resident, Habeeb Jamiu, recounted that the incident occurred shortly after a midnight rainfall.
“I was awake and not far from this place when some others and I, who were together, learnt that a building had collapsed. It was immediately after the rain stopped around 1 a.m.
When we got here, we heard the wailing of people and began to rescue them before the emergency responders came.
It is true that the building was in distress. When you passed around the building, you would see signs of visible cracks that would make you wonder why they were still living there.”
NEMA, while commending the swift coordination of all agencies involved, reminded residents of the importance of compliance with official evacuation orders to prevent avoidable tragedies.
The agency “reiterates the need for residents to comply with official safety and evacuation notices to prevent avoidable loss of lives.”
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