Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, confirmed on Thursday, September 10, 2026, that one man was killed and two others rescued after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed at No. 42 Governors Road, Aboru, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred at about 12:56am, when the structure reportedly gave way while demolition work was underway.

Also read: LAWMA to arrest buyers patronising illegal roadside traders in Lagos

LASEMA’s Alpha Eagle Response Team was dispatched to the scene shortly after the agency received a distress call.

Preliminary findings indicated that workers were inside or around the structure when the building collapsed, leaving several people trapped beneath the debris.

“On arrival, first responders confirmed that the structure had collapsed during demolition activities, with workers trapped under the debris,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

The agency subsequently activated the state’s Emergency Response Plan and coordinated the rescue operation with other emergency responders at the scene.

Two adult men were eventually pulled alive from the rubble.

Personnel from the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, administered first aid to the survivors before transporting them to a nearby health facility for further medical attention.

The rescue operation, however, ended with the recovery of one other adult male who had died beneath the collapsed structure.

“Sadly, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure. The agency commiserates with the family of the deceased and prays for the quick recovery of the injured,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS worked together during the search and rescue operation.

The immediate area was also cordoned off to protect residents and provide emergency personnel with sufficient space to carry out their work safely.

The incident has renewed attention on safety procedures surrounding building demolition, particularly where structures are dismantled manually in densely populated areas.

Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents, developers and property owners to comply with building regulations and ensure that demolition and construction activities are handled by certified professionals.

He also encouraged members of the public to report potentially dangerous building activities before they result in injuries or loss of life.

“Any suspicious or unsafe building activity should be reported immediately to the Agency through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency numbers,” he said.

The latest Lagos building collapse adds to the safety challenges facing a rapidly developing city where ageing and structurally compromised buildings can pose serious risks when demolition or construction work is poorly managed.

Lagos State authorities have continued to emphasise the importance of professional oversight, enforcement of building standards and faster emergency intervention.

According to LASEMA, the state government is also working to improve emergency response through the decentralisation of response units, with the goal of achieving a 10-minute response time across different parts of Lagos.

For the families affected by Thursday’s incident, however, the response has come alongside the painful loss of a life.