Students and teachers narrowly escaped disaster on Monday after a four-storey school building collapsed in the Ogba area of Lagos State.
The structure, which housed Yemco Schools on Adu Street behind County Hospital, came crashing down shortly after occupants were hurriedly evacuated from the premises.
Eyewitnesses said the building had shown visible signs of structural weakness earlier in the day, raising alarm among residents and school authorities.
The warning signs reportedly prompted an immediate evacuation of pupils and staff before the structure eventually gave way.
According to witnesses, the building collapsed only minutes after the evacuation was completed, preventing what many described as a potential tragedy.
Videos circulating on social media showed the moment the structure crumbled as bystanders watched from a safe distance.
Residents said the quick response by those at the scene played a crucial role in averting casualties.
Part of the property used for residential purposes remained standing beside the collapsed section, while the portion occupied by the school was completely destroyed.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service later arrived at the scene to secure the area and restrict public access while assessing the situation.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the persistent problem of building collapses in Lagos State.
In recent years, several structures across the state have failed, raising concerns over construction standards, building approvals, and enforcement of safety regulations.
About a month ago, another building collapse was reported at a public school in the Odo-Kekere community in Ikorodu.
Earlier incidents also recorded casualties across different parts of the state.
In April, at least five people lost their lives when a three-storey building housing a restaurant collapsed on Oremeta Street in the Ojodu-Berger area.
Similarly, one person died and three others were injured in May after a one-storey building under construction collapsed in Mushin.
Another incident at Otta Ona Junction near the Mobil Filling Station bus stop in Ikorodu claimed three lives after a two-storey building under construction gave way.
Other cases include a September collapse of a two-storey structure on Modupeola Street in Mangoro, Alimosho, where six people were rescued alive, and an October incident in Oyingbo where one person died and 21 others were rescued after another building failure.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Government had yet to officially determine the cause of the latest collapse in Ogba.
