By HeapNews
One person was killed and eight others rescued on Thursday after a three-storey building with a penthouse collapsed during demolition in the Ajegunle area of Lagos, emergency officials said.
The structure, located at 28 Baale Alayabiagba Street in the Alayabiagba community of Apapa, came down while manual demolition work was ongoing, trapping workers under the debris.
“Upon arrival of the Agency’s response team at the scene, it was observed that a three-storey building undergoing manual demolition had collapsed, trapping some workers under the rubbles,” said Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
Information from residents confirmed the building was being manually demolished when it gave way, he added.
Eight adult men were pulled out alive and given first aid by Lagos State Ambulance Service officers before being taken to Ajeromi General Hospital. One male victim was recovered dead.
Emergency responders, including LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, LASAMBUS, Lagos State Building Control Agency, National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigeria Police, continued search-and-rescue operations at the site.
LASEMA said operations remained ongoing to ensure no one was left trapped under the rubble.
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, frequently records building collapses, often linked to poor construction practices, weak regulation, and ageing structures.