Building Collapse in Ogun: Three Dead, 12 Rescued as Investigation Starts

Residents of Ajuwon in Ogun State are grieving after a building fell during heavy rain on Monday. The collapse killed three people and 12 others were rescued. The Ogun State Government has ordered an investigation into what happened.

The building, which had two shops on the ground floor and apartments above, was at OGS Bus Stop, Baale Road in Ajuwon. This area is on the border between Ogun and Lagos states.

When our reporter visited the site on Tuesday morning, police and emergency workers were still searching for more victims. There were fears that others might be trapped under the debris.

It was hard to know how many people were in the building when it fell at around 3 PM on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, three bodies had been found: an adult woman, a baby, and a 75-year-old man.

A commercial motorcyclist named Godwin said many residents were indoors because of the heavy rain just before the building collapsed. He said, "The owner of the building is an engineer. When the rain started, people living in the house immediately sought shelter in their apartments, so the house was filled up at the time of the incident."

He continued, "What happened was that the lower part of the building sank during the downpour, and everything else crumbled on it."

Another resident, Ajibola, said the slow response to the emergency made the situation worse. He believes more lives could have been saved if help had come sooner. "It was terrible. People had to borrow an ambulance to evacuate the victims. The excavator that was pulling out the rubble even cut part of one of the bodies that was recovered. The lady whose body was removed nearly had her body chopped off if people had not noticed her on time," he said.

Bisola, who owns a shop near the collapsed building, said there were no signs that it was in trouble before it fell. "One of the bodies recovered was that of an elderly man who was planning to move out of the house today. He had concluded arrangements to vacate the building."

She added, "If he knew this would happen, he wouldn’t have waited a day longer. The whole building just sank. It didn’t show any sign of distress before yesterday."

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed that 12 people were rescued. They also reported the deaths of an adult woman, a baby, and a 75-year-old man in the collapse.

On Tuesday, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, said they sent emergency workers and heavy equipment to help with ongoing operations. This was done after a directive from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Oke-Osanyintolu said they were working with Ogun State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency, police, fire service, Amotekun Corps, and other responders to coordinate rescue efforts.

He mentioned that the search-and-rescue operations are still going on. A preliminary check showed that a nearby bungalow was also seriously damaged and would need to be demolished to prevent further problems.

He expressed condolences to the families affected. He also urged property owners to follow building rules, get the right approvals, and carry out regular checks to avoid such disasters.

Meanwhile, Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, said the governor has ordered a complete investigation into the collapse.

In a statement on Tuesday, Akinmade said early reports from a multi-agency team showed that the building had a major structural failure, causing the lower floors to sink while parts of the upper floor remained visible.

He noted that eyewitnesses said the building fell around 3 PM after heavy rain and thunderstorms, which included a lightning strike. Two women and their children managed to escape after noticing signs of trouble, while a young man got minor injuries while running from the building just before it fell.

Akinmade added that emergency responders, including Ogun State Safety Office, State Fire Service, and other agencies, quickly rushed to the scene. Contractors working nearby sent heavy equipment to help within ten minutes after the incident.

The statement explained that while initial searches did not find any victims, blood and footprints under the debris led workers to start careful excavation. This search eventually found the first body.

The government said the heavy rain came before the collapse. But only detailed checks will show if the collapse was due to foundation problems, soil issues, construction mistakes, or poor materials.

Akinmade mentioned that Governor Abiodun has instructed experts from various agencies to conduct thorough assessments of the building and inspect nearby structures for safety.

He also assured affected residents that the government would support them. He warned anyone found guilty of breaking building rules or using poor construction practices would face legal action.

The Ogun State Government thanked the Lagos State Government for their quick response, calling it a sign of the strong partnership between both states in protecting lives and property. They promised to strengthen the enforcement of building regulations and urged developers and residents to get all necessary approvals and stick to building standards to prevent similar tragedies.