Many Trapped, Five Rescued as Building Collapses in Lagos

A multi-storey building under construction on Oremeta Street in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State collapsed early Saturday morning, leaving an unknown number of people trapped beneath the debris.

The incident, which occurred around 8:00 a.m., involved a structure that housed a popular restaurant on its ground floor. At the time of filing this report, emergency responders had rescued five individuals from the rubble, with ongoing efforts to locate and save others still believed to be trapped.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Damilola Oke-Osanyitolu, assured the public that all hands are on deck to reach those still buried. “We will get to ground zero to search for other victims still buried under the rubble,” he said at the scene.

Eyewitnesses say the building had shown visible signs of structural distress before its collapse. A regular customer of the restaurant, who spoke under anonymity, said: “I usually go to the restaurant to eat and drink. Many times, I had seen water dripping from the decking even when it wasn’t raining. People raised concerns when they started constructing a third floor, but nothing was done.”

Another resident, Abiola David, confirmed that a man and his son, who had driven into the premises earlier in the morning, are believed to be among those still trapped, as their car remains buried under the collapsed structure.

Emergency crews are continuing to clear the rubble in hopes of finding more survivors. Authorities have yet to confirm the total number of people affected as rescue operations intensify.