By Charles Pemu An undisclosed number of persons were reportedly trapped after a two-storey residential building collapsed in the early hours of Monday in Lagos.
The incident occurred at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop in the Oyingbo area of the state. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the collapse, noting that the building had previously shown signs of distress before giving way while residents were inside.
Rescue Operations and Casualties
The distress call was received by the Sari-Iganmu Fire Station at about 12:20 a.m. on Monday.
- So far, 15 people have been successfully rescued.
- The rescued victims include seven men, four women, and four children.
- All rescued individuals sustained varying degrees of injuries and were immediately transported to the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute-Metta and the General Hospital, Odan in Lagos Island.
- Rescue efforts are still ongoing as authorities continue to search for others potentially trapped in the rubble.
Frequent Incidents Highlight Enforcement Concerns
Building collapses remain a distressingly frequent occurrence in Lagos and Nigeria. Such incidents are often linked to systemic issues, including:
- Weak enforcement of building regulations.
- The use of sub-standard materials in construction.
- Inadequate inspections by regulatory bodies.
Prominent recent examples include the 2021 collapse of a high-rise in Ikoyi, which killed at least 42 people after investigations revealed the building exceeded approved floors, and a collapse in Yaba in September 2025.