8th March, 2016
Kazeem Ugbodaga
5-storey building in Lekki, Lagos on Tuesday, 8 March, 2016
Death toll in Tuesday morning collapsed five-storey building in Lekki area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, has risen to 10, while 10 other victims were rescued.
Michael Akindele, General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, confirmed that the death toll had now risen to 10 and while those rescued so far is now 10 as at 4.00pm on Tuesday.
He said the 10 survivors had been taken away for treatment by the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, while the deceased were being packed by the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU, to be taken to the mortuary.
Akindele said rescue operation was still ongoing as three excavators were being used in the operation as well as other search and rescue equipment.
The 5-storey building collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, Nigeria at the early hours of Tuesday. The cause of the building collapse might not be unconnected with the heavy rainfall which lasted for hours at the early hours of Tuesday.
The building collapsed at the Lekki Garden Estate Horizon, Ikate Elegushi at around 6 a.m. when it was still raining heavily.
Many people are believed to still be trapped under the rubble of the building as rescue operation continues.
Rescue operators include officers of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Services, Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Civil Defence, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Navy and the Nigeria police.
The building was said to be under construction before it caved in. As at the time of filing this report, rescue operation was still on.