The Lagos State Government has commenced an investigation into the collapse of a three-storey structure located at 10, Oremeta Street in the Ojodu-Berger area of the state.
The ill-fated building, which housed the well-known Equal Right Restaurant and Bar, crumbled at about 9 a.m. on Saturday, trapping several individuals, including patrons, employees, and a family of three.
Authorities confirmed the deaths of two individuals, while 24 others had been rescued at the time of this report.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, in a conversation with The PUNCH on Sunday, assured that legal steps would be taken against the building’s owner.
“There is a procedure if there is any building collapse. The state government will find out how it happened. Naturally, the law will take its course — the owner of the building will face the law,” he said.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, also confirmed that inquiries were underway.
“Two dead, 24 rescued. Investigation is ongoing,” he said in a message sent to our correspondent.
During a visit to the scene, rescue efforts were observed in full swing, involving personnel from various agencies including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASTMA, FRSC, the Police, LASAMBUS, and Lagos State Building Control Agency.
Emergency teams were seen carefully clearing the debris and loading it onto trucks, while a crowd of onlookers offered prayers for those still trapped beneath the rubble.
Locals revealed that the building had been uncompleted and neglected for over ten years, only to see construction work recommence recently on the topmost floor.
A resident, Akin Popoola stated, “The ground floor was being used for a bar, eatery, and parking lot, but the upper floors weren’t occupied.”
One of the DJs at the restaurant, who narrowly escaped the tragedy, described how he noticed troubling signs just moments before the collapse.
“We noticed that one of the pillars had shifted and blocks were falling. I told the bricklayer, but he dismissed our concerns, saying it was nothing serious. I rushed upstairs to warn people, but some didn’t listen. I quickly left with a few others just before the building came down,” he recounted.
Another witness, Wasiu, said a man and his wife, along with their child, were in their car, having just picked up food from the restaurant, when the collapsing structure fell on them.
Ayomide Adebola, a 22-year-old staff member at the restaurant, was among those reported trapped. Her distraught sister arrived at the site seeking answers.
“When I heard about what happened, I came immediately. They told me she is still inside,” she said tearfully.
Another eyewitness, Waheed Opeloyeru, shared how one man narrowly escaped the collapse while his brother wasn’t as lucky.
“A customer had stepped out to withdraw money when the building collapsed, leaving his brother trapped inside,” he said.
Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, provided updates on rescue operations, stating that eight individuals had been pulled from the debris and efforts continued to locate others.
“Our teams arrived at the scene by 9:52 a.m. and discovered that several people were trapped. So far, eight victims have been rescued. One of them has been taken to the hospital for further treatment. Thankfully, no fatalities have been recorded yet,” he said.
He emphasized that emergency workers were taking great care not to worsen the situation.
“We’re going layer by layer to avoid causing further harm. We are using heavy- and light-duty equipment to reach ground zero,” he added.
Mr. Shakiru Amodu, spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed nine rescues with varying levels of injuries and issued a cautionary note on the risks of leaving structures unused for long periods.
“The upper floors looked abandoned. Leaving buildings unoccupied is risky because they can deteriorate over time and suddenly collapse,” he warned.
