Lagos Family Escapes Death as Residence Collapses in Iyana-Ipaja

A family narrowly avoided tragedy when their residence near the Adealu bus stop in the Iyana-Ipaja district of Lagos State collapsed over the weekend.

Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA responded to a distress call received through the 767 and 112 Emergency toll-free lines at 2:44 a.m. on Saturday night (July 13).

“The structure collapsed at No. 49, Oyinlola Street, adjacent to the Adealu Bus-stop, Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos. Upon arrival, it was determined that the boys’ quarters located behind the main building had collapsed,” he stated.

Fortunately, the family residing in the building managed to escape before the collapse occurred, resulting in no casualties.

“The collapse was attributed to neglect and poor maintenance of the boys’ quarters,” Oke-Osanyintolu noted following initial investigations.

In response to the incident, LASEMA’s crisis response team conducted public education campaigns to raise awareness about the safety risks posed by the remaining structure.

“The main building, comprising nine rooms on the ground floor and two flats upstairs, has been cordoned off. All occupants have been advised to vacate immediately for their safety,” he emphasized.

Furthermore, Oke-Osanyintolu recommended the manual demolition of the collapsed boys’ quarters and urged for integrity tests to be conducted on the main building.

“Manual clearing of the debris and integrity tests by the Material Testing Laboratory are crucial steps to assess the stability of the main building,” he added.

The incident underscores ongoing concerns about building safety and the need for proactive measures to prevent similar occurrences in Lagos State.