Beneath the rubble: tears, hope, the race against time at Lagos building collapse site

Three-Storey Complex Collapses Along Old Ojo Road

The cries came from beneath heaps of broken concrete and twisted iron. "Somebody is alive there!" As rescue workers dug frantically through the rubble of a collapsed three-storey shopping complex at Alakija, Lagos, on Thursday, anxious relatives, traders and residents stood frozen between grief and hope. For them, every sound from under the debris was a reminder that someone's father, mother, child or friend could still be fighting for survival.

What began as a normal business morning along the bustling Old Ojo Road quickly turned into a nightmare when the shopping complex opposite Eternal Oil Filling Station suddenly caved in around 10 a.m. Within seconds, shops, offices and livelihoods were swallowed by concrete. By evening, one life had already been lost. Several others remained trapped. Families waited helplessly for news, while emergency responders raced against time in a desperate search for survivors.

My friend is dead inside there. He was about running out when the block hit him down. There are casualties.

— Eyewitness at the Scene

Warnings That Came Too Late

The collapsed building housed several businesses, including generator sales outlets, cyber cafés and Point of Sale, POS, centres. For many traders, it represented years of hard work and sacrifice. For one resident whose employer operated a cyber café in the complex, the tragedy felt painfully familiar.

My boss owns a cyber café inside the mall. Two years ago, he packed out because he felt the building was showing signs that it would collapse.

— Resident, Former Employee at the Complex

Around him, others nodded in agreement, recounting claims that visible cracks had appeared on the structure days before the collapse. Whether those warnings could have prevented Thursday's tragedy is now a question many residents are asking.

Eyewitnesses Recall the Moment the Building Came Down

For Musa, a commercial motorcyclist, the memory of the collapse remains vivid.

I was passing there going to Mile 2 when I suddenly heard noise behind me. I drove to the front quickly and then turned back and saw that the mall had collapsed.

— Musa, Commercial Motorcyclist

Another resident had escaped death by only a few minutes. Clutching a child in his arms, he recalled the terrifying moments before the building came down.

I was just arriving at the shop outside. Not up to five minutes later, I heard a loud noise and saw smoke everywhere. I was carrying my child and did not know which direction to run. I just escaped.

— Resident, Eyewitness

A Boy Pulled Alive From the Rubble

Nearby, rescue workers paused occasionally to listen for voices beneath the debris. Each faint sound triggered renewed urgency. One witness pointed excitedly towards a section of the rubble.

Look, there is somebody's hand showing from that side. There is another person making a noise from under the building. A lot of people are still alive inside there.

— Witness at the Scene

His words ignited fresh hope among anxious relatives who had refused to leave the scene despite the scorching sun and emotional exhaustion. That hope was rewarded, at least briefly. As emergency workers carefully removed slabs of concrete, cheers erupted from the crowd - a young boy had been pulled out alive. For a few moments, despair gave way to celebration. Strangers hugged one another. Some shouted prayers. Others burst into tears.