Three persons have died following the collapse of a two-storey building in Owode-Ede, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State, in the early hours of Saturday.
According to reports, the structure, which housed shops and stores, came down at about 11:30pm on Friday in Zone 8, Oke Alaafia Community.
A resident was said to have alerted a security operative and personnel of the Federal Fire Service, who were contacted to carry out rescue operations.
A resident named Juliet disclosed that 8 people were trapped inside the building when it collapsed but were later rescued by men of the Federal Fire Service.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Fire Service, Olamide Ojo, confirmed the incident, noting that “the incident involved a two-storey shopping complex used for commercial purposes. The building consists of six shops on the upper floor, six shops on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor, covering an area of about 50m by 100m.”
She explained, “Preliminary investigation reveals that structural defects and the use of substandard materials are suspected to be the cause of the collapse.”
“During the rescue operation, five trapped victims were successfully rescued alive and evacuated to Idera Specialist Hospital, Ede, for urgent medical attention. Three victims were recovered, suspected dead, and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, A Division, Ede.”
Ojo added that the operation was conducted in collaboration with Osun State Fire Service, Ede Station.
“The search and rescue operation was completed, and the appliance with men returned to the station at about 09:26 AM on 31st October, 2026. Estimated property loss was put at ₦100 million, while property worth approximately ₦150 million was saved.”
She commiserated with the affected families and urged the public to comply with building standards and report emergencies promptly.
