Collapsed Building Traps 10 in Lagos

No fewer than 10 people were trapped on Thursday after a two-storey building under construction collapsed on Alonge Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos. Although they were later rescued, but not without sustaining varying degrees of injury.

The building which was said to be under construction collapsed around 11:30am and left three children injured; Moses Atoketi 15; Jimoh Adebiyi 13; and Monday Ahungbe 12; and seven other casual workers in the hospital. A resident said:

“The building collapsed around 11.30am. Ten people were working at the building when it collapsed. The house used to be an unoccupied bungalow, but about seven months ago, labourers started working on it.

“The building was being upgraded and was to be converted to a two-storey building.

“Luckily for the victims, the building is located near the Oworonshoki Police Station, so we were able to rally around and we called emergency officials who immediately rushed down to the scene.”

Fortunately, the victims were brought out of the collapsed building alive with the aid of  the National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the state fire service and the police.

The spokesperson, NEMA, South-West Zone, Ibrahim Farinloye; said the children sustained minor injuries. He said:

“The children, who sustained minor injuries are being attended to at Folabi Medical Centre, while two adults have been taken to the Gbagada General Hospital. All the others were rescued alive.”

Residents still believe that one person might still be left in the building as 10 people were trapped under the rubble but nine people have been rescued. One said:

“We were told that one person was still trapped inside. We called the person’s phone but it rang out. Later, the telephone stopped ringing,” 

However, Farinloye said there was no cause for alarm. He said:

“It is just a mix up. One of the survivors told us that the last person escaped through the back window just as the building was collapsing. That is why we pulled out nine people. No one else is trapped there.”