…Emergency officials seal off site for investigation
Panic swept through Craig Street in the Shomolu area of Lagos on Monday after a two-storey building under construction suddenly collapsed during a decking operation, sending a cascade of concrete debris into a nearby church filled with worshippers.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:00 p.m. at Number 3 Craig Street, off Apata Road, where construction workers were actively working on-site.
Eyewitnesses said that worshippers at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Liberty Parish, were holding a service nearby when part of the building’s pillars came crashing down onto the church premises. Several attendees reportedly escaped by a narrow margin as the structure began to fail.
Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries. Both construction workers and church members managed to evacuate before the building fully gave way.
In an official statement signed by Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the agency confirmed that no individuals were trapped in the debris.
“The building collapsed during the decking process. Our preliminary investigations confirm that no one is under the rubble. The entire construction site has now been sealed off,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He added that enforcement teams are currently on the scene to oversee adherence to safety regulations and to begin a technical investigation into the cause of the collapse.
This incident adds to the growing list of building failures in Lagos, once again drawing attention to concerns over poor regulatory oversight, the use of substandard materials, and inadequate monitoring of urban development projects.
As of press time, the identities of the site engineers and developers behind the structure had not been disclosed by authorities.
Residents in the area are urging the Lagos State Government to increase the frequency of building inspections and take legal action against those found flouting construction standards.
