The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed that one person died while two others were rescued alive after a two-storey building undergoing demolition partially collapsed in the Aboru area of Alimosho Local Government Area.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at No. 42 Governors Road, Aboru, where the building was reportedly being manually demolished when it suddenly gave way, trapping workers beneath the rubble.
LASEMA said its Alpha Eagle Response Team was mobilised from the Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit at about 12:56 a.m. after receiving a distress call. The team arrived at the scene within the agency’s projected response time and immediately commenced rescue operations.
According to preliminary findings, the structure collapsed while demolition work was in progress, leaving several workers trapped beneath the debris.
The agency activated the Lagos State Emergency Response Plan and assumed incident command, coordinating all emergency responders involved in the rescue effort.
During the operation, rescuers successfully pulled two adult men alive from the collapsed building. The victims received emergency first aid from personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before they were taken to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
However, one adult male was recovered dead from the rubble.
Reacting to the incident, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, expressed sympathy to the bereaved family and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
He said: “The Agency commiserates with the family of the deceased and prays for the quick recovery of the injured.”
The rescue operation is being carried out jointly by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and LASAMBUS, while the affected area has been cordoned off to ensure public safety and allow emergency personnel unrestricted access.
Community leaders and security agencies are also supporting efforts to safely conclude the operation.
Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging developers and members of the public to strictly comply with building regulations.
He also advised that only certified professionals should handle demolition and construction activities, while unsafe building practices should be reported through the state’s toll-free emergency lines, 767 and 112.
The LASEMA boss further noted that the Lagos State Government would continue investing in emergency response capacity, modern equipment and the decentralisation of response units to sustain its target of a 10-minute emergency response time across the state.
Authorities said rescue and recovery operations were still ongoing, with further updates expected as work progresses.