In a tragic incident, five workers lost their lives when a building under construction collapsed early Thursday morning in the Maryland area of Lagos State, Nigeria.
The collapse occurred at 13, Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, around 3:49 am.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident through a statement released by its Director-General, Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu.
The statement detailed the swift response of emergency services, which led to the rescue of four adult males from the rubble. However, five adult males, all site workers, were found deceased.
“The Agency responded to the incident and discovered that a set of three terraces under construction had collapsed,” Oke-Osanyintolu stated.
“Search and rescue operations began immediately. Five adult males were recovered dead while 4 adult males were rescued alive, and 1 adult male trapped under the rubble was rescued alive by the LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service.”
The rescued individuals received pre-hospital care on-site before being transported to a hospital for further treatment. The State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) was also contacted to handle the remains of the deceased workers.
LASEMA’s excavator has been deployed to expedite the ongoing search and rescue operations.
This incident is the latest in a series of building collapses in Lagos, exacerbated by recent flooding. Earlier in July, seven people were rescued from a collapsed two-storey building in the Mushin area, while another ten were rescued following a collapse in the Isale Eko area in May.
Additionally, a devastating school collapse in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State earlier in July resulted in 22 fatalities and 132 injuries.
The frequency of such incidents has raised concerns about construction standards and regulatory oversight in Nigeria.
As investigations continue, authorities and the public alike are calling for stricter enforcement of building codes to prevent further tragedies.