Four people narrowly escaped death yesterday when a three-storey building collapsed along Adeniji-Adele Road in the Isale Eko area of Lagos State.
The building, which had reportedly been marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) a few months ago, partially collapsed at the rear.
The incident occurred shortly after the Muslim morning prayer. It was observed that the building, one of two within Sasi Palace, showed visible signs of structural distress, including prominent cracks.
Residents who spoke with The Guardian said occupants had been warned to vacate the building two years ago, but failed to do so. Emergency responders, including officials from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), LASBCA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Nigeria Police Force, and other rescue teams, were present at the scene.
To facilitate movement in the area, LASTMA redirected traffic, diverting vehicles from Zenith through the Oba’s Palace and onto Enu Owa to their various destinations.
LASBCA later demolished the affected structure after ordering the evacuation of its occupants and those in two adjoining buildings. A resident, Ustaz Abduganiyu Anofiu, said: “We heard the noise of the collapse after the morning prayer. Residents rushed to the area, and four people were rescued alive and taken to the hospital.
“The residents stayed in the building because of the cost of house rent. The gates to the shops were removed a while ago, but people were still living in the building.
Some are not earning up to N100,000, and they need N1.4 million to get a self-contained room in this area. The government is campaigning against stealing and other vices but not ready to alleviate the situation of the people.”
