The incident occurred late Friday night, October 30, 2026, trapping several people beneath the rubble.
The Federal Fire Service (FFS), Osun State Command, confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday, October 31, disclosing that its personnel rescued five victims during an overnight search and rescue operation.
According to the statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSF Ojo Omoyemi Olamide, an emergency call was received through the Command’s hotline at about 11:30 p.m. on Friday.
He said the fire service immediately deployed its Appliance FFS 141, which arrived at the scene three minutes later, at 11:33 p.m. The vehicle was driven by AIF Adeyemi, while DSF Ogunremi led the rescue team.
The collapsed structure was identified as a two-storey shopping complex comprising six shops on the upper floor, six shops on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor.
The building, which occupied an estimated area of 50 metres by 100 metres, was reportedly used for commercial activities before the incident.
Preliminary investigations suggested that structural defects and the use of substandard building materials might have contributed to the collapse.
The statement further disclosed that the five survivors were pulled from the rubble and immediately taken to Idera Specialist Hospital, Ede, for urgent medical attention.
However, three other victims were recovered dead and subsequently handed over to operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, A Division, Ede.
The rescue operation was jointly conducted 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 CSC Oyekunle headed the NSCDC personnel from the Owode Ede Division.
The operation lasted several hours and was concluded 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 destroyed in the collapse at N100 million, while assets worth approximately N150 million were reportedly saved during the rescue operation.
The Command expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and called on residents, property developers and building owners to adhere strictly to approved construction standards to prevent similar tragedies.
It also urged members of the public to report emergencies promptly to the relevant authorities to ensure timely intervention and minimise the loss of lives and property.
