Panic broke out in Alakija yesterday when a three-storey shopping plaza suddenly collapsed, killing 8 people and leaving 26 others alive, authorities said.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, confirmed the numbers yesterday at 4:20 p.m. One of those who died was a baby girl. Rescue work was still going on at the Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area site as crews combed through the wreckage.
LASEMA boss, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told reporters that two people were pulled out alive early on. That first rescue was a joint effort by LASEMA officials, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and China Railway Construction Corporation workers. Crews also found the body of an adult man in the rubble during the first hours. Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu said some shop owners who had resumed work that morning might still be stuck under the debris.
By 4:20 p.m., LASEMA said 26 survivors had been brought out while 8 people, including the infant, lost their lives. Excavators and other heavy equipment were used to lift slabs of concrete as rescuers worked carefully to avoid more harm.
The reason for the collapse is not known yet. LASEMA said it will start a probe once the rescue mission is over.
Officials urged residents and bystanders to stay away from the Alakija scene. “Please keep off so our teams can work without trouble,” LASEMA appealed. The agency promised to share confirmed updates as the operation moves on.
The disaster comes weeks after other emergencies in Lagos. LASEMA recently handled a tanker blast that killed 1 person and injured 2, plus a Marina fire where no one died.
Rescue teams were still on ground at the time of this report.