Tragedy has struck Lagos again as a two-storey building under construction collapsed on Akinola Street, off Ikorodu Road, leaving one person dead and three others rescued alive.
The early Friday collapse triggered an emergency search-and-rescue operation, with fears that more construction workers could still be trapped beneath the massive pile of rubble.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the casualties in an update issued at 3:33 a.m., as rescuers raced against time to locate possible survivors.
An excavator was deployed to clear the debris and create access for emergency teams working at the scene.
The rescue operation brought together personnel of LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Ambulance Service and the Nigeria Police Force from the Alakara Division.
Beyond the rescue effort, the incident has once again raised questions about construction safety, regulatory compliance and the enforcement of building standards in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
The cause of the collapse remains unknown, while emergency officials continue to assess the scene and determine whether anyone else is trapped beneath the wreckage.
The latest incident adds to a disturbing pattern of building collapses recorded across Lagos in 2026.
On September 10, a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed on Governors Road in Aboru, Alimosho. One person died, while two others were rescued alive.
Barely three months earlier, tragedy struck Alakija in Satellite Town, where a three-storey building collapsed on June 25. By the following day, eight people had been confirmed dead and 26 rescued from the debris.
In another incident on June 5, a three-storey building under construction partially collapsed in Lekki Phase One. Seven men were rescued alive, one person died, and another was reported missing during the initial rescue operation.
Earlier in January, a classroom block collapsed at a public school in Odo-Kekere, Ikorodu. Although no casualties were recorded, the incident prompted Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to order an investigation.
The recurring incidents have intensified concerns over the safety of buildings across the state. They also raise questions about whether construction standards, demolition procedures and inspections are being adequately enforced to prevent avoidable deaths.
For now, attention remains fixed on Akinola Street, where emergency responders continue their search amid hopes of finding anyone else who may still be alive beneath the rubble.
