RismadarVoice Reporters
November 2, 2026
Three people have died, and five others were rescued alive after a two-storey shopping complex under construction collapsed in Owode-Ede, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State.
The incident occurred late on Friday, October 30, at Zone 8, Oke Alaafia Community, trapping several people beneath the rubble.
The Federal Fire Service confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its Osun State Command spokesperson, Ojo Omoyemi Olamide.
According to the statement, emergency responders received a distress call at approximately 11:30 p.m. and immediately mobilised personnel to the scene.
Five victims were rescued alive and evacuated to Idera Specialist Hospital in Ede for medical treatment, while three bodies recovered from the debris were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, A Division, Ede.
The Osun State Commandant of the Federal Fire Service, Femi Isaac, separately disclosed that the victims were apprentice tilers who had reportedly stayed overnight at the construction site to resume work the following morning.
He said four of the five survivors sustained serious injuries, including fractures, while one escaped without major injuries.
Describing the collapsed structure, the fire service said the commercial complex contained six shops on the upper floor, another six on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor.
Preliminary investigations suggested that structural defects and the possible use of substandard building materials might have contributed to the collapse.
However, the exact cause has not been conclusively established through a detailed engineering investigation.
The rescue operation involved personnel of the Federal Fire Service, Osun State Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Emergency teams worked through the night before concluding the operation at approximately 9:26 a.m. on Saturday, October 31.
The fire service estimated the value of property destroyed in the incident at ₦100 million, while property worth approximately ₦150 million was reportedly saved.
Authorities expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased and urged developers, contractors and property owners to comply with approved building standards.
The incident has raised renewed concerns about construction safety, structural supervision and compliance with building regulations.
Residents were also encouraged to report suspected structural defects and other emergencies promptly to the appropriate authorities to help prevent avoidable loss of life.
