Collapsed Building Traps 10

No fewer than 10 people were trapped on Thursday after a two-storey building under construction collapsed on Alonge Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos.

Although they were later rescued, but not without sustaining varying degrees of injury.

Among the injured were three children, Moses Atoketi 15; Jimoh Adebiyi 13; and Monday Ahungbe 12; and seven other casual workers in the building.

A resident, Oscar Joshua, told our correspondent that the building collapses around 11.30am.

Joshua, who is also the Organising Secretary, Oworonshoki Youth Association, said the building used to be a bungalow but was being reconstructed at the time of the incident.

He said, “The building collapsed around 11.30am. Ten people were working at the building when it collapsed. The house used to be an unoccupied bungalow, but about seven months ago, labourers started working on it.

“The building was being upgraded and was to be converted to a two-story building.

“Luckily for the victims, the building is located near the Oworonshoki Police Station, so we were able to rally around and we called emergency officials who immediately rushed down to the scene.”

It was learnt that officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the state fire service and the police were able to bring out the victims alive.

The spokesperson, NEMA, South-West Zone, Ibrahim Farinloye; said the children sustained minor injuries.

He said, “The children, who sustained minor injuries are being attended to at Folabi Medical Centre, while two adults have been taken to the Gbagada General Hospital. All the others were rescued alive.”

However, residents believed one person was still trapped under the rubble.

“The foreman said 10 people were trapped under the rubble but nine people have been rescued.

“We were told that one person was still trapped inside. We called the person’s phone but it rang out. Later, the telephone stopped ringing,” a resident said.

However, Farinloye said there was no cause for alarm, “It is just a mix up. One of the survivors told us that the last person escaped through the back window just as the building was collapsing. That is why we pulled out nine people. No one else is trapped there.”