By Our Correspondent
A midnight disaster struck the bustling city of Lagos in the early hours of Monday, as a two-storey building caved in, trapping several occupants beneath its rubble. The tragic incident occurred at No. 54 Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, near UBA Bank, Oyingbo, sending shockwaves across the metropolis.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS), a distress call was received around 12:20 a.m., prompting a swift response from emergency teams at the Sari Iganmu Fire Station, who arrived at the scene nine minutes later to commence an intense rescue operation.
Confirming the development, the Controller General of LSFRS, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that 15 persons — seven men, four women, and four children — have been rescued from the wreckage with varying degrees of injuries.
> “The victims have been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, and the General Hospital on Lagos Island for urgent medical attention,” Adeseye stated.
Preliminary investigations, she added, revealed that the collapsed structure had previously been declared structurally unsafe, yet continued to house tenants — a recurring pattern in Lagos’ chronic building safety crisis.
Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of chaos and anguish as residents and emergency workers battled through the mangled debris to save lives. “We heard a loud rumble like thunder, and within seconds, the entire building went down. People were screaming for help,” said a distraught resident who witnessed the collapse.
Rescue operations remain ongoing as combined teams from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and the Nigerian Police continue the desperate search for more victims feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Mrs. Adeseye reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that no victim is left unaccounted for, warning property owners across the state to adhere strictly to structural integrity and safety standards to prevent future tragedies.
Meanwhile, residents of the Oyingbo area have called on the Lagos State Government to intensify its campaign against distressed buildings, lamenting the repeated occurrence of such fatal collapses in densely populated areas.
As rescue efforts continue into the morning, the air in Oyingbo remains heavy with grief and uncertainty — another grim reminder of the cost of negligence and the urgent need for stricter enforcement of building regulations in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
PIONEER NEWS 