By Fatima Mukhtar
Panic gripped residents of Oyingbo, Lagos, early Monday morning as a two-storey building at No. 54 Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, collapsed, trapping several occupants beneath the rubble.
Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that at least fifteen people — including men, women, and children — have been rescued with varying degrees of injuries. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing as emergency teams race against time to save more victims feared trapped.
Preliminary findings revealed that the ill-fated structure had been marked as distressed by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), which had earlier warned occupants to vacate the premises.
This latest tragedy adds to the growing list of building collapses plaguing Lagos. In June, a similar two-storey structure crumbled on Craig Street, Shomolu, while another fatal collapse occurred in Ikorodu in May, claiming three lives.
Authorities have once again urged residents to heed evacuation notices, stressing that negligence and disregard for safety warnings continue to endanger lives. The Lagos State Government has vowed to investigate the incident to uncover its cause and forestall future occurrences.
“This is heartbreaking and avoidable,” said a rescue official on the scene, calling for stricter enforcement of building regulations across the state.
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