A two-storey building has collapsed on Lagos Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, sparking fears that many people are trapped under the debris.
The incident occurred on Thursday at No. 15, Iga Iduganran, near the Oba of Lagos’s palace.
Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has mobilized an elite rescue team from the agency’s headquarters and Command and Control Centre to the site.
LASEMA’s media head, Nosa Okunbor, confirmed that Oke-Osanyintolu is currently on-site, overseeing and coordinating the search and rescue operations.
“Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu has rolled out with the elite team from LASEMA HQ, Command and Control Centre, to supervise and coordinate the search and rescue operations at the scene of the collapsed building that occurred at 15, Iga Iduganran, close to Oba’s palace, Lagos Island,” Okunbor said.
Details about the collapse are still emerging, but it has been reported that several people are feared trapped within the ruins. The rescue operations are ongoing as emergency services work tirelessly to locate and extricate survivors.
Updates on the situation will be provided as more information becomes available. The incident highlights the urgent need for rigorous building inspections and adherence to safety standards to prevent such tragedies.