The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the death of one person following the collapse of a four-storey building under construction at 333 Borno Way, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.
In its Day 2 incident report on Saturday, NEMA said the body of a male victim was recovered from the rubble during ongoing search and rescue operations. Earlier, four persons had been rescued alive after the building caved in around 7:46 pm on Friday.
“Search-and-rescue operation is still ongoing at the building collapse scene. NEMA, LASEMA, Fire Services, Police, FRSC, and NSCDC are on the ground. The number of persons rescued remains four; they are in stable condition. No additional person has been rescued at the time of this report, but there is speculation of two more persons under the rubble,” the agency said in an update on X.
Hours later, NEMA confirmed that one body had been pulled out from the debris, adding that operations would continue until it is certain no one remains trapped.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service reported that eight construction workers were rescued alive from the collapsed building. Deputy Controller General, Olajide Ogabi, said the victims were receiving treatment in hospital, adding that rescue efforts had reached ground zero while evacuation of rubble continued.
Ogabi also dismissed fears of a gas leak that spread panic across parts of Ikeja on Friday evening. He explained that the odour was caused by a routine decongestion exercise carried out by Axxela Group, owners of the Gaslink pipeline, and that the situation had been neutralised without incident.
Emergency responders from LASEMA, the fire service, police, FRSC, LASTMA, and NSCDC remain at the site as the rescue operation continues.
