The death toll from Thursday’s building collapse in Lagos has risen to eight, with emergency responders confirming that 26 people have so far been rescued from the debris.
The tragic incident occurred at about 11:40 a.m. when a three-storey shopping complex located along Old Ojo Road near Alakija Bus Stop in Satellite Town suddenly gave way, trapping occupants inside.
Emergency officials disclosed that among those who lost their lives was a baby, while several injured survivors were pulled from the rubble and taken for medical attention.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said rescue operations remained ongoing as emergency teams continued searching for people who may still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
Providing an update on the operation, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said rescue teams had intensified efforts at the site.
“The search and rescue operation is still ongoing,” he stated.
Authorities noted that the latest casualty figures represent a significant increase from the initial report shortly after the collapse, when only a few victims had been located.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies, including LASEMA, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Fire Service, Nigerian Navy, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Nigerian Red Cross Society and other support agencies, were deployed to the scene.
Officials said preliminary findings suggested that traders, shop owners and other occupants were inside the building at the time of the collapse.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service revealed that it received a distress call at about 11:37 a.m. and mobilised personnel from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station, who arrived within minutes to begin rescue operations.
Director of the agency, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed that several survivors were rescued with varying degrees of injuries and handed over to medical personnel.
The incident triggered panic across the busy commercial area as residents and traders gathered while rescue workers searched for survivors.
Authorities are yet to determine the immediate cause of the collapse.
Thursday’s tragedy has again renewed concerns over recurring building collapse incidents in Lagos despite ongoing government efforts to strengthen building regulation compliance and improve construction oversight.
Industry experts have repeatedly linked similar incidents to structural failures, use of substandard materials, weak supervision and violations of approved building standards.
As rescue operations continue, residents and stakeholders have called for stricter enforcement of building regulations to prevent future occurrences.
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