LASEMA Completes Search at Collapsed Lagos Building, Nine Confirmed Dead
Search and rescue operations have ended at the site of the collapsed two-storey building near Alakija Bus Stop in Satellite Town, Lagos, with emergency responders rescuing 27 people alive and recovering nine bodies. The building caved in around 12:47 p.m. on Thursday in the Amuwo-Odofin area, prompting an immediate response from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other emergency services. According to LASEMA, its response teams arrived at the scene within 40 minutes, working alongside the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS, LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigerian Red Cross, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). All 27 survivors received emergency medical attention before being transferred to nearby hospitals for further treatment.
The agency said four victims were confirmed dead before rescue teams arrived, while five more bodies, including that of a two-year-old girl, were recovered during the operation. The remains have been handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for identification and release to their families. LASEMA said the operation continued through the night, with rescue teams using heavy-duty excavators to clear the rubble before reaching ground zero at about 4:00 a.m. on Friday, marking the end of the search. Following the incident, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed LASBCA to carry out immediate structural integrity assessments on neighbouring buildings and ensure strict compliance with building safety regulations. The agency extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and urged residents to report distressed buildings through LASBCA or LASEMA's emergency lines, 112 and 767, to help prevent similar tragedies.
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