A three-storey building under construction collapsed late on Friday, 12 September 2025, at 333 Borno Street, Alagomeji in the Yaba area of Lagos State, officials said. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the incident in an early statement and rescue teams from federal and state emergency services were deployed to the scene.
Photos and video circulating from the site show search-and-rescue personnel, ambulances and medical teams working through the night to recover people from the rubble and to tend to the injured. Local emergency responders coordinated with NEMA to secure the area and carry out extrication of trapped persons. Hospitals in the vicinity received casualties brought in by emergency vehicles, according to on-scene images.
Authorities cautioned that information was preliminary and urged members of the public to avoid the collapse site while operations continue. NEMA and Lagos emergency agencies said the rescue operation remains active as teams continue to search for survivors and recover those still entrapped.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined. Investigators from Lagos State building-control agencies, in collaboration with emergency services, are expected to examine the site to establish whether structural failure, construction practices, materials, or other factors contributed to the accident. Officials typically advise securing witnesses, site documents and contractor details as part of such probes.
Building collapses during construction are a recurring safety challenge in many fast-growing cities; experts say rigorous enforcement of building codes, regular inspection, qualified supervision and use of certified materials are critical to preventing similar incidents. Community leaders and safety advocates called for a transparent investigation and accountability where negligence is found.
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