By Heapnews
A three-storey shopping complex collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos on Thursday, killing one person and triggering a multi-agency rescue operation as emergency responders searched for others feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said two victims were rescued alive through a joint operation involving LASEMA, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC).
Emergency officials said the body of an adult male had been located, while efforts were ongoing to recover the remains.
Rescue teams continued to search the debris amid reports that additional people, including shop owners who had resumed business activities in the building, could still be trapped.Heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator, was being deployed to support the search and rescue efforts, LASEMA said.
The agency urged residents to remain calm and stay away from the scene to allow emergency workers unrestricted access as they carried out rescue operations.”LASEMA will continue to provide verified updates as the operation progresses,” said Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the agency.
The cause of the collapse was not immediately known, and authorities had not disclosed the number of people believed to be trapped.