Key Points

• A building in Lagos collapsed, killing five people and injuring 13.

• Eyewitnesses claim the building showed distress signs before the collapse.

• Authorities urge better building inspections to prevent future tragedies.

A tragic building collapse in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State on Saturday left five people dead and 13 others rescued.

The collapse occurred around 8 a.m. when a three-storey building, home to the Equal Right Restaurant, fell during construction efforts to add a fourth floor.

Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene. Survivors, mostly adult females, were rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for treatment.

Eyewitnesses reported that the building had shown visible signs of distress for a while. Franklin Okede, a local resident, recalled how one of the engineers warned his colleagues that the structure appeared unsafe just hours before it collapsed.

Okede also noted that if the building had collapsed later in the day, when the restaurant was likely to be crowded, the tragedy would have been far worse.

Another survivor, Nurudeen Hasan, who managed to escape, described their rescue as a miracle. “We were lucky. About 22 of us were inside, and many were pulled out alive,” he said.

Investigations continue into the cause of the collapse

LASEMA officials confirmed the building was undergoing modifications at the time of the collapse, which may have contributed to the disaster.

Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, stated that search efforts are ongoing. “There’s still a chance we may find more people under the rubble,” he said.

This collapse is part of a broader issue of building safety in Lagos. The city has seen several building collapses in recent years. Authorities are under increasing pressure to enforce proper inspections and regulations.

Rescue teams respond to the crisis, call for prevention measures

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Red Cross, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Lagos Fire and Rescue Service responded quickly to the collapse.

They worked together to rescue victims and provide immediate medical care. FRSC Sector Commander Kehinde Hamzat praised the swift coordination of the multi-agency response.

“Lives were saved due to swift coordination,” Hamzat said. “We must remain vigilant.”

Meanwhile, Lagos State authorities are urging more proactive building inspections. The Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law allows the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) to seize properties that collapse due to regulatory violations.

However, questions remain about enforcement, especially with reports that a serving local government chairman owns the building.