Panic gripped residents of the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State on Saturday morning following the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction on Oremeta Street, leaving an undisclosed number of people feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The ill-fated structure, which housed the popular EqualRight Restaurant on its ground floor, came crashing down around 8 a.m., sending shockwaves through the usually bustling neighbourhood. Eyewitnesses described the moment as surreal—an ordinary morning turned into a nightmare in seconds.
“It was like an earthquake,” one shaken witness recounted. “There was a loud rumble, and before we knew it, the building just crumbled like a pack of cards. People were screaming and running in every direction.”
Locals say the tragedy was foreseeable, with some expressing deep frustration over what they call years of ignored warnings. A nearby resident who frequented the area voiced long-standing fears about the integrity of the structure.
“Anyone who knows that building knows it was a ticking time bomb,” the resident said. “I avoided the restaurant, no matter how hungry I was, because I was terrified the building would collapse while I was inside.”
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other first responders rushed to the scene and immediately launched rescue efforts. However, the number of people trapped beneath the debris remains uncertain as the operation intensifies.
“As of now, we can’t give a definite figure on how many victims are trapped,” an emergency official stated. “But our teams are working around the clock to rescue survivors and clear the rubble.”
The incident has sparked renewed concerns about building safety standards in Lagos, with calls for regulatory agencies to crack down on substandard construction practices and enforce stricter compliance measures.
As rescue operations continue, anxious family members, bystanders, and sympathizers have gathered at the scene, praying for a miracle amid the chaos.
PIONEER NEWS 