Lagos building collapse: 5 rescued as death toll hits 4

The number of people rescued alive in the building which collapsed on Freeman Street, Lagos Island on Saturday, has increased to five, while four dead bodies were recovered.

The Zonal Coordinator South-West, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the development to newsmen in the early hours of Sunday.

Farinloye said further investigation from the incident showed that the collapsed building under construction was located within a compound, adding that it was a frame structure as of the time of the incident.

The coordinator added that the third suspended slab concrete was already in place with ongoing internal partition.

“The building crumbled during a downpour at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

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“The building was bequeathed to the family members and some of the family members awarded it to a developer who was converting the bungalow building into a three-storey building before it collapsed,” he said.

The NEMA boss stated that the Alayaki Lane where the building is located contains a cluster of buildings, noting that the rescue operation was hampered by lack of space.

Farinloye, however, assured that the emergency responders were working hard to ensure the collapsed building is thoroughly searched, adding that no one has claimed that relation was missing.

Apart from NEMA, other agencies participating in the operations include Lagos Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Fire service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), police, and the Nigeria Red Cross.

The Star