Korede Abdullah in Lagos
A multi-storey building under construction on Oremeta Street in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State collapsed on Saturday morning, trapping an unknown number of people beneath the debris.
The structure, which also housed the popular EqualRight Restaurant, came down at about 8 am, shocking residents and passersby who witnessed the sudden disaster.
Emergency services, including operatives from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), promptly arrived at the scene to commence rescue operations.
Eyewitnesses reported that the building had shown signs of structural instability long before the incident. One local resident, speaking anonymously, described the structure as a disaster waiting to happen.
“Some of us with a discerning mind knew the building was existing on a borrowed time,” he told our correspondent. He added that, “That’s the reason I always avoid the vicinity I always have the apprehension that it may collapse on me if I go there to buy food.”
Africa Health Report (AHR) gathered that the exact cause of the collapse remains unknown, but concerns about the building’s integrity had apparently been circulating for some time.
As rescue teams Lagos State Emergency Management Agency continue to dig through the rubble, a crowd of concerned citizens has also gathered, many anxiously awaiting news of loved ones who may be trapped.
The atmosphere remains tense as emergency responders work against time, with support from other government agencies expected to bolster the ongoing search and rescue mission.
