A devastating incident occurred in Owode-Ede, Osun State, where a two-storey shopping complex under construction collapsed late on Friday night, leading to the deaths of three individuals and injuring four others. The victims, who were tiling apprentices, were reportedly staying in the building to continue their work the following day when the tragedy struck.

Femi Isaac, the Osun State Commandant of the Federal Fire Service, confirmed the casualties in a telephone interview with Punch Newspapers on Saturday. He stated that the agency received a distress call from the Divisional Police Officer around 11 pm on Friday, prompting an immediate deployment of personnel to the scene.

According to Isaac, three bodies were recovered from the rubble, and five individuals were rescued alive, with four sustaining serious injuries. The injured were transported to a private hospital in Ede for treatment. Reports indicate that some of the injured suffered fractures in their legs and arms. Notably, one individual who did not sleep in the building escaped unscathed.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the workers had expressed concerns about the building's structural integrity prior to the collapse. The most senior apprentice reportedly warned his colleagues against sleeping on the upper floor shortly before the incident occurred.

Residents in the vicinity reported hearing a loud noise from the building just before 11 pm, which drew their attention. One local resident, identified as John, confirmed that three bodies were retrieved from the debris and that several others were injured. He noted that the victims had been sleeping in the building at the time of the collapse.

Emergency response teams, including operatives from the Federal Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, arrived promptly to conduct search and rescue operations, which continued into the early hours of Saturday. The owner of the building, who resides nearby, was present during the rescue efforts.

This tragic event highlights ongoing concerns regarding construction safety standards in Nigeria, as similar incidents have raised alarms about the enforcement of building regulations and the need for stricter oversight in the construction industry.