Building Under Construction Collapses In Lagos: 3 Killed, 15 Rescued

A five-storey shopping complex under-construction at 9, Muri Okunola Street, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, collapsed on November 4, 2013, killing at least three persons and injuring 15 others.

It has been learnt that scores of persons might still be trapped under the debris.

According to Vanguard, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Red Cross and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), attached to the Maroko Station, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos Command, were sighted at the scene still battling to rescue the trapped persons.

Five of the fifteen rescued persons were said to be in critical condition and have been admitted at the Accident and Emergency Centre, Toll Gate, Ikeja, while others were admitted at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), hospital, few metres away from the scene.

The construction workers were casting the decking and the pillars when the building caved-in on them at about 4.00 p.m.

"The building collapsed at about 4.00 p.m., while construction works were still ongoing. This led to pandemonium, as everyone scampered for safety," an eyewitness, Mr. Adetayo Olaseni said.

"I heard a loud bang and all I saw was that the entire building had collapsed on the workers. While some escaped unhurt, others are still trapped under the debris.

"I can't say this is the number of people here, but I know that they were more than 60 persons working at the site," another eye-witness, Ms. Blessing Osundare narrated.

The General Manager of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the tragedy:

"A twin four-storey building located at Muri Okunola Street, Victoria Island collapsed.

"Fifteen persons have been rescued so far while three corpses have been recovered from the debris.

"Rescue operations are still on-going and we are assuring residents that they should not panic. We are on top of the issue."