Pregnant woman, proprietor, pupils reported dead after Lagos building collapse

Following the tragic event that occurred on Wednesday after a three-storey building collapsed at Massey Street, Itafaji on Lagos Island, witnesses and hospital sources have revealed that a pregnant woman, the proprietor of Ohen Nursery & Primary school and 19 others, including not less than 12 pupils died after the wreckage.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said eight persons died, while 34 others were rescued from the wreckage of the building.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) also revealed that it rescued 10 persons out of the wreckage while other agencies brought out 10 more people alive.

According to South-West Zonal Head of Public Affairs of the Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the rescue operation was still in progress as at 8pm.

It was learnt that the building had been marked for demolition by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency but the occupants defied instructions to exit the building.

However, 17 of the rescued students and occupants of the building were taken to Massey Children Hospital while others were taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital on Broad Street.

A worker at the Massey Children Hospital (name withheld) who spoke with journalists said a total of ten victims died few minutes after they were rushed to both hospitals.

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A neighbour, Mr Adewale Owoso describing the incident, said: “We were just sitting down in front of the school, when we heard a loud sound.

“We all ran into different directions but after the dust had settled, we realised that it was the building that collapsed.

“We quickly mobilised and began some rescue operation and we had rescued more than twenty people, before the emergency workers arrived,” he said.

Mrs Aishat Onilenla said, three of her sister’s three children were trapped in the collapsed building. ‘My friend has seven children also trapped in the rubble”, she said.

“I don’t know how she is going to survive it. It is too big for her to bear,” she said.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who visited the scene said the government would ensure that the victims would be given adequate medical attention.

By Todimu Ogunade…

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