At least 16 people have been rescued alive from the site of a building collapse in the Alakija area of Lagos State, as emergency responders continue a coordinated search-and-rescue operation for others who may still be trapped beneath the rubble.
The latest update comes after six additional victims were pulled alive from the debris, bringing the total number of rescued persons from 10 to 16.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed on Thursday that rescue operations were ongoing at the scene of the incident, which occurred along Old Ojo Road, by Alakija Bus Stop, off the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town.
In a statement issued by the Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, the agency said it received a distress call at 11:37 a.m. and immediately deployed personnel from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station.
“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service received a distress call at 11:37 hours regarding a building collapse incident at Old Ojo Road, by Alakija Bus Stop, off the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Satellite Town, Lagos,” the statement said.
“Emergency responders from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station were immediately mobilized and arrived at the scene at 11:49 hours.”
The agency said the collapsed structure was a residential building occupied by multiple residents at the time of the incident.
“The incident involves the collapse of a storey building, an existing residential structure occupied by multiple residents at the time of the incident,” Adeseye stated.
Providing an earlier update on the rescue efforts, she said: “As of the time of this report, 10 persons have been rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and have been handed over to medical personnel for necessary treatment.”
Rescue teams have since succeeded in pulling six more survivors from the rubble as efforts continue at the site.
“Search and rescue operations remain ongoing as emergency responders continue efforts to locate, extricate, and evacuate any persons who may still be trapped beneath the debris,” the statement added.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, agencies participating in the operation include the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Navy, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), and the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
The agency said further updates would be provided as the operation progresses.
Earlier reports indicated that the structure, described by witnesses as a three-storey building, collapsed at about 11:40 a.m., sparking fears that several people were trapped beneath the rubble.
Residents and bystanders had gathered at the scene amid growing concerns over the fate of those believed to be trapped, while the exact number of affected persons could not immediately be confirmed.
The cause of the collapse remains unknown and has yet to be officially determined.
Boluwatife Enome
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