Three Killed, Five Rescued As Two-Storey Shopping Complex Collapses In Osun

Three persons have been confirmed dead, while five others were rescued alive following the collapse of a two-storey shopping complex in Owode-Ede, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State.

The incident occurred at about 11:00 p.m. on Friday at Zone 8, Oke Alaafia Community, triggering an emergency rescue operation involving the Federal Fire Service and other security and emergency agencies.

The Federal Fire Service, Osun State Command, said it received a distress call through its emergency line at about 11:30 p.m. and immediately deployed its personnel to the scene.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSF Ojo Omoyemi Olamide, disclosed that five victims were rescued and taken to Idera Specialist Hospital, Ede, for urgent medical attention.

The statement added that the bodies of the three deceased victims were recovered from the rubble and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, A Division, Ede.

According to the Command, the collapsed structure was a commercial building comprising six shops on the upper floor, six shops on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor, covering an estimated area of 50 metres by 100 metres.

Giving an account of the possible cause of the incident, the Fire Service said preliminary investigations suggested structural defects and the use of substandard building materials.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that structural defects and the use of substandard materials are suspected to be the cause of the collapse,” the statement said.

The Command disclosed that the rescue operation was successfully concluded at about 9:26 a.m. on Saturday, after which its personnel returned to the station.

It further put the estimated value of property lost in the incident at N100 million, while property worth approximately N150 million was reportedly saved during the operation.

The rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with the Osun State Fire Service, Ede Station; personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, A Division, Ede, led by SP Bamidele; and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Owode-Ede Division, led by CSC Oyekunle.