One person has been confirmed dead while 26 others have been rescued after a two-storey building collapsed in the early hours of Monday at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop, Oyingbo, in the Lagos Mainland area.

Emergency officials said rescue operations began shortly after midnight when the structure caved in while most residents were asleep. The building, which had earlier been identified as distressed, suddenly gave way, trapping occupants under the rubble.

Rescue teams from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, supported by other emergency agencies, arrived at the scene after receiving a distress call at about 12:20 a.m. Officials have since been working tirelessly to evacuate survivors and recover bodies.

According to an update released Monday morning, 26 people have been rescued alive, while one person was confirmed dead. The survivors, including men, women, and children, sustained various degrees of injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals such as the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, and the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island, for treatment.

Eyewitnesses in the area said that the building had shown signs of weakness for some time, with visible cracks on its walls. Some residents had reportedly moved out earlier, but several tenants remained despite warnings.

Authorities confirmed that the building had been marked as unsafe before the incident but had not yet been vacated. Preliminary reports suggest that structural failure due to old age and poor maintenance may have contributed to the collapse.

Rescue operations were still ongoing as emergency personnel combed through the debris to ensure no more victims were trapped. The area has been cordoned off to prevent secondary accidents and to allow heavy-duty equipment access for the recovery process.

Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and security personnel were also at the scene to coordinate the operation and manage the crowd that had gathered.

Meanwhile, investigations have begun to determine the cause of the collapse and to identify those responsible for failing to enforce earlier safety warnings.

Building collapses have remained a recurring challenge in Lagos, often attributed to structural defects, poor construction standards, and non-compliance with safety regulations. The state government has repeatedly urged property owners to comply with building codes and avoid occupying structures marked as unsafe to prevent avoidable tragedies.

As of press time, search and rescue teams were still working at the site to ensure all possible victims were accounted for.