LASEMA Rescues 27, Recovers Nine Bodies from Collapsed Lagos Building
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has concluded search, rescue and recovery operations at the site of the collapsed two-storey building near Alakija Bus Stop in Satellite Town, rescuing 27 people alive and recovering nine bodies from the rubble.
The building reportedly collapsed at about 12:47 p.m. on Thursday in the Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State.
In a statement issued on Friday by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Afolabi Olawale, LASEMA said emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene following distress calls.
According to the agency, its Sharks Response Team from the Lekki Base and the Alpha Cobra Squad from Onipanu arrived at the scene within 40 minutes, alongside other emergency agencies.
Responders involved in the operation included the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Red Cross and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
LASEMA disclosed that all 27 rescued victims received immediate medical attention from LASAMBUS personnel before being transported to nearby hospitals for further treatment.
The agency stated that four adults were confirmed dead before rescue teams arrived, while five additional bodies, including that of a two-year-old girl, were later recovered during the operation.
According to the statement, the remains of the deceased were handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for identification and release to their families.
LASEMA added that its heavy-duty excavator worked alongside two excavators deployed by CCECC, enabling rescue workers to gain access to trapped victims and complete the operation safely.
The agency confirmed that rescue efforts ended at about 4:00 a.m. on Friday after emergency teams successfully reached ground zero.
It also revealed that the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, supervised the exercise throughout the operation.
LASEMA said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had directed LASBCA to immediately carry out integrity tests on adjoining buildings and ensure strict compliance with building regulations within the area.
The agency sympathised with the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery, while urging residents to promptly report distressed structures to LASBCA or through LASEMA’s emergency toll-free numbers, 112 and 767, to avert similar incidents.
