No fewer than seven individuals were rescued from the debris of a seven-story building that collapsed on Wednesday on First Avenue, in the upscale Banana Island area of Ikoyi, Lagos State. Emergency responders were still searching for a victim who remained trapped under the rubble at the time of filing this report.
According to eyewitnesses, the collapse occurred around 4:58pm while construction workers were on the sixth floor attempting to lay the seventh floor. Some of the workers escaped unhurt, while others sustained varying degrees of injury and got trapped beneath the debris.
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Eyewitnesses, including workers at adjoining buildings, raised the alarm and alerted relevant emergency agencies who quickly responded to the scene for rescue operations. Efforts were underway to rescue the trapped victim and assess the number of people rescued in line with the registered number of individuals at the site, in coordination with the developers who were present.
The collapsed building was one of the three high-rise structures under construction at the site, with the other two nine-story buildings remaining intact. However, an integrity test would be conducted on the remaining structures to prevent another collapse.
The Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development stated that no approval was given for the construction of the collapsed structure, and an investigation had commenced into the incident. The ministry’s Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, confirmed the collapse and stated that those who sustained injuries were receiving treatment, and there were no reported fatalities.
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The building collapse in Banana Island adds to the growing list of similar incidents in Lagos State in recent times. This unfortunate event highlights the need for strict adherence to building regulations, approvals, and safety measures during construction to prevent such tragedies. Authorities and stakeholders should take decisive actions to enforce compliance with building standards and ensure the safety of workers and residents.
