The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has attributed the collapse of a four-storey building in Lagos to the irresponsibility of the occupants, who ignored multiple warnings from the Lagos State Structure Control Agency to vacate the premises.
According to PUNCH Metro, the building collapsed on Thursday, trapping several occupants under the rubble.
However, LASEMA and other authorities conducted a frantic search and rescue operation, successfully rescuing all 10 trapped individuals and transporting them to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed the incident on his X.com account, stating, A four-storey building has collapsed at Iga Iduganran, Lagos Island.
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency officials have rescued eight people from the rubble.
They are battling to retrieve two others from the rubble. The structure had been marked by LASBCA for evacuation.
Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, revealed that the building collapsed during renovations after the Lagos State Building Control Agency had flagged it for evacuation due to its dilapidated state, but the occupants refused to leave.
Oke-Osanyintolu added, Investigation at the scene revealed that a four-storey building collapsed while a renovation was ongoing on the structure, which had been marked for evacuation because of its dilapidated state by the Lagos State Building Control Agency, but the occupants remained adamant.
Seven adult males and three adult females have been rescued and transferred to the Iga-Iduganran Primary Health Centre by the agency’s paramedics for further medical attention.
As of the time of this report, search and rescue operations have concluded. Oke-Osanyintolu stated, Rescue operations have stopped, but controlled demolition of the building to ground zero is ongoing.
This incident marks the second building collapse in the state within a few days. On May 26, PUNCH Metro reported that LASEMA blamed heavy overnight rainfall for the collapse of a two-storey building in Surulere.
Although no lives were lost in that incident, the structure had been in poor condition prior to the collapse.
