At least four persons sustained injuries on Tuesday when a telecommunications mast crashed onto a residential building in the Alagbole area of Akute, Ogun State, during a heavy downpour.
The incident occurred around 2:39pm at Unity Estate, where the mast, said to belong to IHS Towers, toppled in the middle of a thunderstorm and landed on a two-storey building, damaging its rooftop and upper floor.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the crash shook nearby houses and left parts of the estate in panic as residents scrambled to rescue those trapped in the affected building.
One of the victims, identified as the landlord of the house, was said to be inside his apartment when the mast came down. Three others, including a woman and two children, were also caught in the incident. All four sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to a private hospital in the area.
“There was a loud bang like an explosion,” said a resident who asked not to be named. “We ran outside and saw that the mast had fallen on the house. Part of the structure collapsed. We had to break through the back to help some of the victims out.”
Emergency responders, including officials from the Ogun State Fire and Emergency Services and officers from the Alagbole Police Division, arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent further casualties. Electricity supply was also cut off to forestall fire outbreaks, as electrical cables were affected in the crash.
A police source at the scene confirmed that no lives were lost and that those injured were responding to treatment. “It could have been worse,” the officer said. “We’re investigating the structural integrity of the mast.”
Preliminary reports suggest that the mast, which had been in place for several years, may have been weakened by rust and lack of maintenance. Experts also point to strong winds during the storm as a contributing factor.
Officials from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) said wind gusts in the area reached over 70km/h on the day of the incident.
Community leaders in Unity Estate have since called on state authorities to inspect all masts and large structures within residential zones. The chairman of the estate’s residents’ association, Mr. Kayode Olalekan, described the collapse as a “preventable disaster,” accusing the mast owners of negligence.
“This is what we feared. That mast has been swaying during every rainstorm for months,” he said. “We alerted the relevant agencies, but no action was taken. If something isn’t done quickly, we may not be so lucky next time.”
The Ogun State Urban and Physical Planning Board and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are yet to comment on the incident, but residents have urged them to begin immediate inspections across the state.
As Nigeria enters the peak of its rainy season, meteorologists have warned of more violent storms in the coming weeks. Residents are advised to remain indoors during severe weather and report vulnerable structures to the authorities.
