Panic gripped residents of Oremeta Street in the Ojodu area of Lagos State on Saturday morning following the sudden collapse of a two-storey building that housed the Equal Rights Restaurant.
The incident happened around 9 a.m., causing serious panic among residents and passersby as the structure came crashing down, trapping several individuals inside.
According to eyewitnesses, the building caved in without any warning. Among those reportedly trapped were restaurant workers, customers who had come in for breakfast, and a family residing in the upper section of the structure.
The sudden nature of the collapse led to confusion, with many in the area rushing to the scene to help before emergency services arrived.
Rescue operations were swiftly launched by emergency teams, which included personnel from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). These teams worked together to clear debris and search for those believed to be trapped underneath the rubble.
At the site, our reporter observed a chaotic but determined rescue effort, with heavy-duty equipment being used to remove parts of the fallen building. Bystanders and sympathizers gathered around the scene, some visibly distressed and trying to get news about loved ones they believed were in the building at the time of the collapse.
A LASEMA official, who preferred not to be named, noted that the exact number of people trapped was still being determined, as search efforts were ongoing. “We’re doing everything possible to reach survivors. It’s a delicate operation, and we’re moving as fast and safely as we can,” he said.
