The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Tuesday confirmed that two persons dead, while 20 survivors have been rescued from the two-storey building that collapsed on Monday at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop in Oyingbo area of Lagos State.
NEMA, which gave the update through a statement issued on its X handle on Tuesday stated that its Lagos Operations Office led a multi-agency response to distress alerts and immediately deployed rescue personnel and extrication equipment to the scene, working in conjunction with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and other emergency services.
“Upon arrival, emergency teams discovered several occupants trapped beneath the debris.
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“After several hours of intensive operations, 20 persons were rescued alive, while those with injuries were promptly evacuated to nearby hospitals for treatment. Sadly, two fatalities were confirmed,” the statement read.
Following the final phase of the operation, NEMA said, “All occupants were accounted for, and the search and rescue mission was officially concluded.
“The site has since been cleared under the supervision of the Nigeria Police Force, which also maintained security and crowd control throughout the exercise.”
The agency added that the collapsed structure had been marked for demolition, but occupants allegedly ignored evacuation directives prior to the incident.
“Preliminary assessment revealed that the collapsed structure had been previously marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency, but occupants reportedly ignored the evacuation directive,” it said.
NEMA, which commended the professionalism and swift intervention of all responding agencies, “reiterates the need for residents to comply with official safety and evacuation notices to prevent avoidable loss of lives.”
