Tragedy struck in the Ota-Ona area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Tuesday when a two-storey structure gave way, trapping several people beneath the debris.
So far, one person has been confirmed dead, ten others rescued, and three individuals are still unaccounted for.
According to an update from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), rescue teams recovered one lifeless body from the ruins, while efforts continue to locate the remaining victims.
Authorities revealed that a total of 14 people were inside the structure at the time of the incident.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, in a statement by its Director, Margaret Adeseye, through spokesperson Amodu Shakiru, disclosed that the affected building was an unfinished two-storey edifice situated behind a bungalow on a plot measuring approximately 648 square metres.
All occupants were within the premises when it collapsed.
Adeseye confirmed that ten adult men, aged between 28 and 35, had been rescued and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
She noted that search and rescue operations are ongoing as emergency personnel continue combing the site for survivors.
Responders from multiple government bodies are involved in the operation, including the Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Police, and the Federal Road Safety Corps. Teams are working under the coordination of LASEMA to manage the crisis.
Local residents were among the first to raise alarm, with a Facebook user, Rasheed Fatuga, sharing news of the collapse online.
He identified the site as being directly opposite the Mobil (formerly Bugon) Filling Station in the Ota-Ona area.
This incident follows another building collapse that occurred in April in the Ojodu Berger axis of Lagos.
That tragedy involved a three-storey building under renovation, which fell in the early hours of the day, resulting in five fatalities and multiple injuries.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the most recent structural failure, while authorities urge property developers and construction firms to adhere strictly to safety and regulatory standards to prevent future disasters.
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