The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), evacuated occupants from a three-storey building in the Kosofe area of the state on Friday.
The building, located at No. 5 Estapor Avenue, Sholuyi, Gbagada, is reported to be “critically distressed.”
In a statement, LASBCA emphasized that the evacuation was necessary to prevent an imminent collapse and to ensure the safety of the occupants’ lives and property.
“In its ongoing efforts to mitigate the risk of building collapses in Lagos, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) today evacuated occupants from a critically distressed structure located at No. 5 Estapor Avenue, Sholuyi, Gbagada, in the Kosofe area of the state.
“The evacuation was deemed necessary to prevent an imminent collapse and ensure the safety of lives and properties of the occupants,” the statement shared on the agency’s socials said.
This comes just a few days after a two-story building collapsed on Monday morning in the Orile Iganmu area of the state.
According to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, the building had been marked for demolition prior to the incident.
The incident occurred on Amusu Street, near Baale Bus Stop, and caused residents to flee in panic. A video circulating on social media captured the chaotic scene as people scrambled to escape.
Fortunately, both the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that there were no casualties. Omotoso reiterated this, stating that the building had been evacuated two weeks before the collapse.
LASEMA attributed the building collapse to structural distress. According to the agency, LASBCA had issued a notice for occupants to vacate the premises due to its dangerous condition. However, some occupants were resistant to leaving.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that all occupants managed to escape as the building showed signs of imminent collapse.