LAGOS: Four men were rescued alive on Friday night after a three-storey building under construction collapsed at 333 Borno Street, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos State.
The building gave way at about 8:30 p.m., trapping an unknown number of people under the rubble. Emergency workers battled through the night in a frantic search-and-rescue operation.
The survivors, who suffered varying degrees of injuries, were taken to a nearby hospital, while efforts to reach others believed to be trapped continued.
Acting Head of Lagos Operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Adenike Ibitayo, confirmed the rescue. She said the exact number of victims still buried could not be ascertained until the debris was completely cleared.
Residents described the collapse as both “sudden and deafening,” with witnesses recalling desperate cries for help from those pinned beneath the rubble.
The cause of the collapse is yet to be determined, but authorities have promised a full investigation after rescue efforts are concluded. Security personnel have since cordoned off the site to allow unhindered emergency operations.
