Lagos school-building collapse: Concerns as death toll rises

essure on the Lagos State Governm,ent to be strict in enforcing its laws on building construction and durability regualtions in the wake of last week’s collapse of a Nursery/Primary School building in the Itafaji area of Lagos Island.
As at last weekend, death toll in the tragic occurence had reportedly risen.Tragedy stuck recently when a four -storey building collapsed in Lagos Island, Lagos State, killing many and maiming others, while about 100 pupils were said to have been trapped in the debris.
The building housing Owen Nursery and Primary School, residence and shops collapsed around 10 am, causing tears and sorrow in the area.
The school occupied the second and third floors of the building. Shops where they sold soft drinks, yam flour ‘elubo’, among other items.’
The building collapsed sinking from the ground floor to the second floor. Screams of kid victims were heard from time to time which brought tears in the eyes of families and sympathisers.
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority Adeshina Tiamiyu, said the landlord of the building was twice given a warning notice by the Lagos State Government to demolish his building situated at Dagara Street, near Ita Faji Market, but the man did not.
This correspondent gathered that the landlord usually bribed his way and the building was allowed to stay till the unfortunate occurred.
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who visited the scene described both the building and the school as illegal.
Ambode said 25 people were brought out from the collapsed building but some were already dead, while those alive were taken to the General Hospital, Lagos for medical attention. The governor said the government would be responsible for all the victims’ medical expenses.
Ambode said the authority had served the landlord notice to remove the structure but he did not obey the government.
The governor while describing the school as illegal said the school was operating in a residential building. He also expressed his sympathy with the families of the bereaved.
As at the time of filing this report, 28 people were brought out from the rubble, some already
dead.
The Point gathered that the school owned by a woman identified simply as Aunty Esther, has been existing there for over 20 years now. The residents said many pupils who attended the school are today graduates.
The proprietress , Esther, was among the unlucky victims brought out from the rubble dead. Among the dead victims were twins. The mother of the twins who identified herself as Iya Ibeji wept that out of her three children in that school, emergency officials had brought out the twins, but unfortunately, one of the twins, Kehinde, died while Taiwo later died in the
hospital.
She was weeping as she prayed for the remaining child to be rescued alive.
While thousands of people rushed to the scene to catch a glimpse of those rescued dead or alive, a teacher was said to have called his friend that he was still alive. The teacher said he was in the collapsed building with about 30 pupils. He said some of the pupils might not survive because blocks had fallen on them. He said it was not possible for him to move his legs. But his hands were free.
Another woman, Mama Yetunde, cried that her daughter , Yetunde, was brought out dead.
Another woman, Mama Ade, said they have rescued one of her children, remaining one.
A man popularly called Agba Man cried when he returned from work and heard that his only son died in the collapsed building.
Agba Man cried that his son Ayo said he would not attend school that fateful; day which he said was very unsual of him. He said the kid who was in nursery school never gave him any tangible reason he would not go to school. “I had to force him to school. I flogged him to school. I went tork while my wife went to her shop. When I heard that the school collapsed I began to weep in my mind as I was rushing back home. I won’t stop crying becaquse I killed him myself. I forced him to go to school I caused his death.” He cried.
He rolled himself on the ground and refused to be consoled because of the death of his only child who was brought out dead.
A man , Kunle Akanni, said the pupils in that school were over 100. He also said apart from the children, some residents were trapped in the debris.
“I think over 100 people are still in the collapsed building,” he
said.
At the General Hospital, there was a massive crowd as families tried to see and identify their relations. A nurse who craved anonymity told this correspondent that three of the victims died in the hospital, saying they were two girls and
one boy.
At the General Hospital mortuary, an attendant disclosed that they had brought more than 15 corpses. He said they were mainly school pupils.