A two-storey building still under construction collapsed in the Fadeyi area of Lagos State in the early hours of Friday, October 23, 2026, killing one adult male and leaving three other adult males rescued alive, according to LEADERSHIP Newspapers.
The structure, located on Akinola Street, off Ikorodu Road, came down at about 12:51 a.m., the newspaper reported, citing a preliminary report from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
LASEMA said its response team arrived to find the building had caved in. The agency stated that the cause of the collapse could not yet be determined.
Why it matters
The incident adds to a long record of building failures in Lagos, Nigeria's most populous state and its commercial centre, where construction activity is intense and enforcement of building standards is often stretched. Each collapse raises questions about supervision on site, the materials used, and whether approvals were in place before work began.
It also highlights the exposure of construction workers, who are frequently on site at night and in the early hours, as was the case here. The three survivors were pulled from the rubble alive, but the death of one worker underscores how quickly such incidents turn fatal.
For residents of dense neighbourhoods like Fadeyi, where buildings sit close together along busy corridors such as Ikorodu Road, a collapse also carries risk beyond the site itself.
Rescue operation and the agencies involved
Emergency crews were still working at the scene as of the LASEMA report, with responders trying to establish how many site workers might remain trapped beneath the debris. The agency confirmed that three adult males had been brought out alive and that one adult male had been recovered dead.
According to LEADERSHIP Newspapers, the operation involved a coordinated search of the site to reach anyone still trapped, management of the scene to allow the work to proceed safely, and coordination among the organisations taking part.
Those responding included LASEMA, LRU Paramedics, the Lagos State Fire Service, LASAMBUS and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Alakara Division. An excavator belonging to LASEMA was being used in the search and rescue effort.
Dr Femi Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, confirmed the agency's statement, the newspaper reported.
What is not yet known
The number of workers who were on the site when the building came down has not been established. LASEMA said responders were still trying to determine that figure, which means the casualty count could change as the operation continues.
The agency also said it could not yet say why the building failed. Preliminary reports in the immediate aftermath of a collapse typically do not assign a cause, and any finding would come from a later assessment.
LEADERSHIP Newspapers did not report the identity of the worker who died, the condition of the three survivors, or whether the site had received the required construction approvals.
What to watch
The search and rescue operation was ongoing at the time of the report, and further updates from LASEMA are expected as crews work through the debris. Watch for a confirmed count of workers who were on site, word on the condition of the rescued men, and any subsequent statement on what caused the structure to fail.
