Many trapped as two-storey building collapses in Lagos

An undisclosed number of persons were reportedly trapped after a building collapsed in Lagos in the wee hours of Monday.

This was disclosed in the situation report released by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye.

The affected building has been identified as a two-storey building located at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop in the Oyingbo area of Lagos.

Adeseye, who confirmed the incident, said the Sari-Iganmu Fire Station team was immediately dispatched to the scene after receiving a distress call at about 12:20 a.m. on Monday.

The agency confirmed that the structure, which had previously shown signs of distress, gave way while residents were still inside.

“It is an ongoing rescue involving an existing two-storey building which has reportedly been marked in distress before collapsing on the occupants,” the statement said.

So far, 15 people — including seven men, four women and four children — have been rescued with varying degrees of injuries and taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute‑Metta and General Hospital, Odan in Lagos Island.

As of the time of filing this report, rescue efforts were still ongoing.

Building collapses in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, have become a distressingly frequent occurrence.

Such incidents are often tied to weak enforcement of regulations, sub-standard materials, and inadequate inspections.

One of the more prominent recent cases in Lagos was a high-rise in the Ikoyi area — a luxury apartment block under construction collapsed in November 2021, killing at least 42 people. Investigations revealed the building had exceeded the approved floors.

In September 2025, another collapse occurred in the Yaba district of Lagos in a four-storey building under construction, leaving many dead and trapped.