LAGOS — Tragedy struck, yesterday, in Surulere area of Lagos, after a two-storey building under construction collapsed, killing four persons, among them, a 13-year-old bread hawker.
Three construction workers were, however, rescued from the debris of the building located at 32/36, Ishaga Road.
The incident occurred barely 10 days after a three-storey building caved in at Oloto Street in Ebute Metta area of the state,where seven lives were lost and several others injured.
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Debris of the collapsed building. Photos: Biodun Ogunleye[/caption]The 13-year-old hawker whose identity could not be immediately ascertained met her unexpected end while taking refuge under the building, following the heavy down pour. It was also gathered that workers at the site had suspended work, waiting for the rain to subside when all of a sudden, the building caved in at about 8 a.m.
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One of workers was said to have bought a loaf of bread from the hawker with an intention of breaking his fast with it in the evening.
Those rescued were reportedly rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba for treatment. Residents of the area were said to have started rescue work and had removed one of the workers trapped under the debris before the arrival of heavy lifting equipment .
Unconfirmed report, however, had it that that three of the workers were from Cotonou in Benin Republic.
Speaking with Vanguard, South-West spokesman for National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, said three males and a female died while three males were injured. He added that one of the injured admitted at the Accident and Emergency Unit would be undergoing surgery. Farinloye blamed the cause on the use of substandard construction materials.
Rescue workers at the scene included officials of NEMA; Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA; federal and state fire services; Red Cross; Police and LASAMBUS.
Building marked for demolition
Managing Director of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Mrs. Abimbola Odunayo, said the building had been sealed earlier and the contractor told to halt the construction.
According to Odunayo, “we had sealed the structure before now. And I must tell you that the construction started before the agency was created. During our road show, we sealed the building along with three others. It was sealed few weeks ago. They broke our seal. And we had warned them. We also discovered that the construction was substandard and had no approval.”
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