One dead, two rescued as Lagos building collapses during demolition

One person was killed and two others rescued after a two-storey building being manually demolished collapsed in Aboru, Lagos, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said on Thursday.

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The building, located at No. 42 Governors Road, Aboru, in Alimosho Local Government Area, collapsed around midnight while workers were demolishing it.

In a statement, the LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency’s Alpha Eagle Response Team was dispatched from its Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit at 12:56 a.m. after receiving a distress call.

He explained that the team found workers trapped beneath the rubble on arrival and immediately began search and rescue operations.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the building was being manually demolished when the collapse occurred,” Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said.

Two adult men were rescued alive from the debris, while another adult man was recovered dead, the agency said.

Personnel from the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) gave the survivors first aid and took them to a nearby health facility for further treatment.

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LASEMA noted that the rescue operation was conducted with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS, while the area was cordoned off to provide a safe working space for emergency responders.

Community leaders and security agencies also assisted the emergency teams at the scene, according to the agency.

Demolition approval

Lagos regulations require residents and developers to notify the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) before carrying out demolition work.

LASBCA is responsible for building control in the state, including the enforcement of safety standards and the removal of distressed or non-conforming buildings.

READ ALSO: Two-storey building collapses in Anambra

It was not immediately clear whether the demolition at No. 42 Governors Road had the required approval or regulatory supervision.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu condoled with the family of the deceased and urged residents and developers to comply with building regulations and engage certified professionals for demolition and construction work.

He also urged residents to report unsafe or suspicious building activities through the state’s emergency numbers, 767 and 112.