File image: Unrelated photo of a building collapse
By Deborah Nnamdi
At least two people, including an infant, have been confirmed dead following the collapse of a three-storey shopping mall at Oluti Bus Stop along Old Ojo Road, Alakija, in Lagos State.
The tragic incident occurred around 10 a.m. on Thursday when business activities were already underway in the area. The building, located opposite the Eternal Oil Filling Station, suddenly caved in, trapping several occupants and customers beneath the rubble.
Emergency responders launched an immediate rescue operation, with at least 16 victims pulled out alive with varying degrees of injuries. The injured, alongside the deceased, were taken to Navy Town Hospital in Alakija for treatment and identification.
Eyewitnesses said the collapse caused panic in the busy commercial area, drawing a large crowd that had to be controlled by security personnel to allow rescue teams access to the site.
According to residents, the building housed several businesses, including generator shops, a cyber café, and point-of-sale service centres. They claimed the structure had shown visible signs of distress and structural cracks since Tuesday.
Some residents further alleged that the Lagos State Government had previously marked the building for evacuation due to safety concerns, while a former tenant reportedly vacated the premises two years ago after noticing signs of structural weakness.
Emergency officials, including personnel from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the police, military, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, were deployed to the scene.
Witnesses described harrowing scenes as rescuers searched for survivors beneath the debris. Some claimed they could hear voices and cries for help from trapped victims, raising hopes that more people could still be rescued alive.
In one dramatic rescue, a young boy was pulled from the rubble, sparking cheers from anxious onlookers gathered at the scene.
Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed the fatalities and said rescue operations remained ongoing. She disclosed that the agency received a distress call at 11:37 a.m. and immediately mobilised personnel from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station, who arrived at the scene 12 minutes later.
Authorities have appealed to residents and sympathisers to stay away from the area to allow emergency workers unrestricted access as efforts continue to locate and rescue those still trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
