A three-storey shopping complex has collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos State, leaving one person dead, 10 others rescued, and several others feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred at about 11:40 a.m. on Thursday at Old Ojo Road near Alakija Bus Stop, off the Lagos–Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other agencies were immediately deployed to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations.
LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that a coordinated multi-agency response had been activated to locate and evacuate victims trapped in the debris.
He said rescue teams were conducting a systematic search of the collapsed structure amid fears that more people, including shop owners, could still be trapped inside.
According to him, two persons were initially rescued alive through the combined efforts of LASEMA, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and a construction company, while the body of one adult male was recovered from the rubble.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that heavy-duty equipment, including excavators, had been deployed to support ongoing rescue operations at the site.
He urged residents to stay away from the area to allow emergency workers unrestricted access and ensure effective life-saving efforts.
“There are reports that additional persons, including shop owners who had resumed business, may still be trapped. Search and rescue operations remain active,” he said.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said it received a distress call at about 11:37 a.m. and arrived at the scene minutes later with personnel from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station.
Controller General of the agency, Margaret Adeseye, said the building was occupied at the time of the collapse, increasing concerns over the number of people affected.
She confirmed that 10 persons had been rescued alive and taken for medical attention, adding that operations were still ongoing to locate others believed to be trapped.
“As of the time of this report, 10 persons have been rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and have been handed over to medical personnel for necessary treatment,” she said.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the collapse as investigations continue.
