Panic gripped residents in the Alakija district of Lagos State on Thursday when a three-storey structure fell unexpectedly, with an unspecified number of people thought trapped in the wreckage.
The building reportedly collapsed at about 11.40 a.m., sparking panic and gathering scores of locals, traders and passers-by to the scene as anxieties increased over the fate of individuals inside the structure at the time of the catastrophe.
Waves of frantic attempt were underway to find out how many people were trapped under the debris, witnesses claimed. But as of press time officials have yet to confirm casualties or injuries.
The fall happened in the heavily populated Alakija axis, prompting fears for the safety of surrounding structures and the likelihood of more structural failures.
Residents complained about delays in the arrival of emergency services and several called for quick action to save those feared trapped in the wreckage.
Videos and photos from the site showed a crowd gathered around the fallen structure, while residents waited nervously for rescue teams.
The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear. But officials are expected to launch probes to find out if the disaster was caused by structural problems, poor construction standards, building violations or other causes.
Lagos and other parts of Nigeria have continued to grapple with the challenge of building collapses mostly due to poor construction materials, lack of regulatory enforcement and disregard for approved building plans.
Emergency management organisations are anticipated to release more updates as they continue to assess damage and ramp up rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, concerned citizens have called on the appropriate authorities to tighten the monitoring and enforcement of building laws to avert future disasters.
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