A building in the Orile Iganmu suburb of the Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos collapsed on Monday. A video shared on social media captured the terrifying moment as occupants and onlookers fled to safety.
All occupants appeared to have evacuated the building, and emergency responders confirmed that everyone escaped unharmed.
After the collapse, it was reported that a thorough assessment of the nearby two-storey building revealed that it was structurally compromised and unsuitable for habitation. Consequently, all occupants were promptly evacuated from the premises.
The building collapsed early Monday morning as people prepared to start their daily activities.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has not made a statement regarding the incident. However, our contact at the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) revealed that the building’s occupants had been evacuated about two weeks ago. The agency noted that “LASBCA has been on their neck for the past year to vacate the building” due to concerns about its structural integrity.
This unfortunate event contributes to the ongoing issue of building collapses in Lagos, a city plagued by such occurrences due to factors like lax enforcement of building regulations, the use of substandard construction materials, and inadequate supervision or safety measures during construction.