26th September, 2013
Two persons have died and 10 others injured as two buildings collapsed on Lagos Island, southwest Nigeria, on Wednesday night.
A three-storey building at 15, Alli Street, collapsed at about 11.00 pm and fell on a bungalow at number 13 of the same street, leading to its collapse.
The cause of the collapse was not immediately ascertained but it is suspected that the three-storey building may be distressed as hundreds of distressed buildings have been uncovered on Lagos Island.
It was gathered that rescue operation was carried out by combined team of government officials, youths and members of the Community Development Association in the area.
Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service were on ground for the rescue operation which continued till Thursday morning.
General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu told P.M.NEWS that two persons died in the collapsed buildings, saying that the three-storey building caved in between 10 and 11 p.m. last night.
“The building collapsed on top of a bungalow next to it. Emergency response was activated with all stakeholders on ground. 10 people were evacuated and taken to the General Hospital and Massey Hospital.
“Two dead bodies were recovered and have been deposited in the morgue as emergency response is still ongoing,” he stated.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that investigation was ongoing to ascertain the cause of the collapse.
According to him, LASEMA rescue team had reached the ground floor as nobody was still strapped in the rubble.
“We will carry out our investigation to ascertain the cause of the collapse. The commissioners for Physical Planning and Urban Development and Special Duties are on ground. We have cordoned off the area,” he said.
In the last nine months, over 10 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, with Lagos Island topping the list of collapsed buildings.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga