Two Dead, 23 Injured in Lagos Building Collapse

Sunday Ehigiator

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed two persons dead and 23 others rescued from a three-storey building that collapsed yesterday at Ojodu Berger area of the state.

The deceased, both males, were among several persons working in the ill-fated house before it collapsed around 8.30am.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the figures.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency received a distress call around 9.45am.

He said on arrival of the agency’s Response Teams at the incident scene at about 09:52 am, it was discovered that a three-storey building housing a restaurant and bar had collapsed, with several victims trapped under the debris.

“Eight victims were rescued while one of the rescued victims attended to by the LASEMA Pre-Hospital Care Unit was taken to the hospital for further medical attention.

“LASEMA Response Teams commenced search and rescue efforts immediately on arrival. Safety measures were activated with the operational area cordoned-off at the incident scene.

“The agency’s heavy-duty equipment, ‘the escavator’, has been activated and deployed to aid in the quick rescue of victims that may still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure,” he added.

Earlier, while speaking to journalists at the scene of the incident, Oke-Osanyitolu, said emergency responders would “get to ground zero” to search for other victims still buried under the rubble.

A regular visitor to the restaurant said that the building had been showing signs of distress for some time.

“I usually go to the restaurant to eat and drink. Many times, I had seen water drip from the decking of the building even when it was not raining. People raised the alarm when they started putting a third structure on the building, but nothing was done,” he said.

A car parked inside the premises, its owner and his son, were also trapped in the collapsed building.