A tragic building collapse on Friday night has left one person dead and eight others rescued after a four-storey structure under construction gave way at 333 Borno Way, Ebute-Metta, in Lagos Mainland.
Panic swept through the area when the building suddenly crumbled around 8 p.m., sending residents fleeing for safety as a cloud of dust engulfed the street. Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other first responders immediately launched a night-long search-and-rescue operation to locate survivors trapped under the rubble.
Speaking on Saturday morning, the Deputy Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Olajide Ogabi, confirmed that eight adult male construction workers were pulled out alive as of 5 a.m. They were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
However, officials later recovered the lifeless body of one victim, whose identity has not yet been released. The remains have been taken to a morgue for further investigation. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also confirmed the fatality in a post on its official X handle, which included images showing the bagged remains being removed from the scene.
In a separate update, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service assured residents that a suspected gas pipeline leak reported earlier on Friday evening in Ikeja had been contained. Ogabi clarified that although the strong odour sparked public concern, no actual fire or explosion occurred and the situation was quickly brought under control.
As of Saturday morning, debris evacuation at the collapsed building site is still ongoing, while authorities continue investigations to determine the cause of the structural failure.
