Emergency responders have concluded search, rescue and recovery operations at the site of a collapsed two-storey building near Alakija Bus Stop in Satellite Town, Lagos, after rescuing 27 people alive and recovering the bodies of nine victims.
The building caved in at about 12:47 p.m. on Thursday in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, prompting a large-scale emergency response coordinated by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
In a statement issued on Friday by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Afolabi Olawale, LASEMA said it swiftly deployed its emergency teams, including the Sharks Response Team from the Lekki Base and the Alpha Cobra Squad from Onipanu, which arrived at the scene within 40 minutes of the incident.
Several agencies participated in the operation, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Red Cross and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
According to LASEMA, all 27 survivors received immediate medical attention from LASAMBUS personnel before being transported to nearby hospitals for further treatment.
The agency disclosed that four victims were confirmed dead before rescue teams arrived, while five additional bodies, including that of a two-year-old girl, were recovered during the overnight operation. The remains have been handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for identification and subsequent release to their families.
LASEMA said rescue efforts were supported by heavy-duty equipment, including its excavator and two additional excavators provided by CCECC, which enabled emergency workers to safely remove debris and reach trapped victims.
The operation was completed at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Friday after rescue personnel reached ground level and confirmed that no additional victims remained trapped beneath the rubble.
The agency noted that the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, supervised the operation to ensure effective coordination among responding agencies.
Following the incident, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed the Lagos State Building Control Agency to immediately assess nearby structures to determine their safety and enforce compliance with existing building regulations.
LASEMA extended its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the injured a speedy recovery. It also urged residents to promptly report distressed or structurally compromised buildings to LASBCA or through its emergency toll-free lines, 112 and 767, to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
