Olusegun Adeyemo
All eight construction workers trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building at Alagomeji in the Ebute-Metta area of Lagos State have been rescued alive.
The four-storey structure, which was under construction, caved in at about 7:46 p.m. on Friday, September 12.
In a statement on Saturday, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the rescue, noting that three persons were pulled out shortly after the incident before search-and-rescue operations continued through the night.
“The building collapse at 333 Borno Way, Alagomeji, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, has all relevant emergency responders including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service at the scene with three male adult victims already rescued alive while search and rescue continues for the remaining workers still trapped,” said the agency’s Deputy Comptroller, Olajide Ogabi.
Later, he confirmed that the operation had reached ground zero, with all eight male workers safely rescued and no fatalities recorded.
The National Emergency Management Agency, in a separate statement on its official X handle, also confirmed the collapse, which occurred at about 8:30 p.m., leaving several persons trapped before their rescue.
The incident has once again heightened public concern over recurring building collapses in Lagos, particularly in Ebute-Metta, which has witnessed multiple tragedies in recent years.
Preliminary findings by emergency officials suggest structural weakness and the possible use of substandard materials as likely causes.
The Lagos State Government has repeatedly pledged stricter monitoring of construction projects across the state.
In May 2022, a three-storey building collapse in the same community claimed 10 lives, including that of a National Youth Service Corps member, while 24 occupants sustained injuries.