Lagos Island, a bustling commercial hub in Nigeria’s largest city, was rocked by a devastating building collapse on Thursday, leaving an unknown number of people trapped in the rubble.
The two-storey building, located at No. 15, Iga Iduganran, near the Oba of Lagos’s palace, crumbled to the ground, sparking widespread panic and alarm among residents and passersby.
Eyewitnesses report that the building had been showing signs of structural weakness, with visible cracks and damage to its foundation. Despite this, it is believed that several people were inside the building when it collapsed, including traders and residents of the surrounding area.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal and State Fire Services, the Nigeria Police, and the Nigeria Ports Authority fire service have been deployed to the scene to conduct rescue efforts. The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, is overseeing the search and rescue operations.
As rescue efforts continue, concerns are mounting about the potential loss of life and the need for urgent action to address the city’s crumbling infrastructure.
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