One person has died while two others were rescued alive after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition partially collapsed in Aboru, Alimosho area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred around midnight at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, while workers were carrying out manual demolition of the structure.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.

According to him, LASEMA’s Alpha Eagle Response Team was dispatched from the Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit at about 12:56 a.m. following a distress call.

Upon arrival, the team discovered that workers were trapped beneath the rubble and immediately activated the state’s Emergency Response Plan.

Oke-Osanyintolu said two adult males were successfully rescued alive during the search and rescue operation.

The rescued victims were given first aid by personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being taken to a nearby health facility for further treatment.However, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure.

The Permanent Secretary commiserated with the family of the deceased and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery.

He said the rescue and recovery operation was being jointly conducted by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS, with community leaders and security agencies also providing support.

The affected area has been cordoned off to protect residents and provide emergency responders with unrestricted access to the site.

Oke-Osanyintolu urged developers and members of the public to comply with building regulations and ensure that qualified professionals are engaged for construction and demolition activities.

He also advised residents to report unsafe or suspicious building activities through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines.

He said the Lagos State Government was strengthening its emergency response system through improved equipment, personnel development and the decentralisation of response units, with a target of achieving a 10-minute emergency response time across the state.

Further updates are expected as rescue and recovery operations continue.