Five persons are feared dead as a three-storey building collapsed on Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta area of Lagos State on Sunday night.
Confirming the incident, the National Emergency Management Agency said that the occupants of the building were in their apartments when the building collapsed.
At least 23 persons, including children, were also said to have been rescued alive from the rubbles.
Officials of NEMA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services were on hand at the scene of the incident for rescue operation.
The acting Coordinator of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, in a statement on Monday, confirmed the death of four occupants, adding that the collapsed structure had been marked for demolition.
“Another three-storey building, on Lagos Street, about 200 metres away from the current scene has shown signs of distress with part throwing pebbles and falling off.
“The building had also been marked as distressed but the occupants were deviant. However, the building has been re-sealed and occupants evacuated by officers of the Lagos State Buildings Control Agency.
“Four deaths (two males and two females), and 23 people had been rescued alive, comprising seven children and 16 adults. The body of another young man, named Tahin, has just been recovered, making five deaths.”
The Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, in a statement late Sunday, said that some of the injured victims were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for urgent treatment.
Oke-Osanyintolu said, “On arrival at the incident scene, an old three-storey building, comprising rooms and parlour, was discovered to have collapsed.
“Further information gathered revealed that the incident occurred around 10:56pm with an undetermined number of people trapped.
“A search and rescue operation is ongoing. 20 rescued alive and out of the victims rescued, two sustained severe injuries and have been taken to LASUTH for further treatment.”
