A two-storey building undergoing manual demolition partially caved in early Thursday morning in the Alimosho area of Lagos State, resulting in one fatality and two injuries.
The disaster occurred at No. 42, Governors Road in Aboru. Following a distress call, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) deployed its Alpha Eagle Response Team from the Cappa unit in Oshodi at 12:56 a.m. First responders secured the perimeter upon arrival and initiated rescue efforts.
Initial findings from LASEMA revealed that the structure collapsed during manual demolition work, trapping workers under heavy debris. A joint operation by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) successfully rescued two adult males from the wreckage.
The survivors received immediate emergency care from LASAMBUS personnel before being transported to a local hospital for further treatment.
“Sadly, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure,” LASEMA confirmed in a statement.
Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, offered condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured individuals a swift recovery. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to public safety and cautioned property owners and developers to follow safety standards.
“We urge members of the public and developers to adhere strictly to building regulations and to engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction activities,” Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu stated. He also advised residents to report unsafe structures using the emergency lines 767 or 112.
Security personnel and local leaders assisted response crews to ensure operations proceeded without interference. The state government highlighted its ongoing efforts to expand response units and equipment to maintain a 10-minute emergency response benchmark across Lagos.
This incident follows a series of structural failures in Lagos. On June 26, 2026, a three-storey mixed-use building collapsed in the Alakija area of Satellite Town, killing eight people, including an infant, while 26 others were rescued. Industry experts attribute the frequent collapses to poor materials, structural flaws, inadequate oversight, and non-compliance with building plans. Data from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild indicates that Lagos accounts for approximately 55 percent of all building collapses nationwide, including the November 2021 Ikoyi high-rise collapse that killed at least 42 people.
