By John Dike Osogbo
Fire Service says suspected structural defects, substandard materials caused collapse; property worth N150m saved
Three persons have been confirmed dead while five others were rescued alive after a two-storey commercial building collapsed at Zone 8, Oke Alaafia Community, Owode Ede, Osun State.
The tragic incident occurred late Friday night, October 30, 2026, trapping several persons beneath the rubble of the building.
The Federal Fire Service (FFS), Osun State Command, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying its personnel successfully rescued five victims alive during an overnight search and rescue operation.
According to the statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSF Ojo Omoyemi Olamide, the emergency call was received at about 11:30 p.m. on Friday through the Command’s emergency line.
It said the fire service immediately mobilised its Appliance FFS 141, which arrived at the scene at 11:33 p.m., with AIF Adeyemi as the driver and DSF Ogunremi leading the rescue crew.
The collapsed structure was identified as a two-storey shopping complex comprising six shops on the upper floor, another six shops on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor.
The building, which covered an estimated area of 50 metres by 100 metres, was used for commercial activities before the incident.
The statement said preliminary investigations suggested that structural defects and the use of substandard building materials might have contributed to the collapse.
It added that the five survivors were rescued from the debris and immediately evacuated to Idera Specialist Hospital, Ede, for urgent medical attention.
However, three other victims were recovered with no signs of life and subsequently handed over to operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, A Division, Ede.
The rescue operation was jointly carried out by the Federal Fire Service and the Osun State Fire Service, Ede Station, with support from the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The police team was led by SP Bamidele, while the NSCDC personnel from Owode Ede Division were led by CSC Oyekunle.
The operation, which lasted several hours, was completed in the early hours of Saturday, with the rescue team returning to its station at about 9:26 a.m.
The Federal Fire Service estimated the value of property lost in the collapse at N100 million, while property worth approximately N150 million was reportedly saved through the operation.
The Command expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and urged residents, developers and building owners to comply strictly with approved construction standards.
It also advised members of the public to promptly report emergencies to the appropriate authorities to facilitate timely intervention and prevent further loss of lives and property.
