One dead, 13 rescued as three-storey building collapses in Lagos

A three-storey building which said to housed the popular Equal Right Restaurant collapsed on Saturday in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos, claiming life of one person and 13 others narrowly escaped

Penpushing reports that the Permanent Secretary, of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed the incident said to have occurred at about 8am

The building said to be undergoing construction work was reported to have come crashing down catching residents and passersby unawares, however, as at the time of the incident emergency response teams from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and other agencies were deployed to the scene following a distress call received by the authorities.

Penpushing further reports that National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the casualty in a preliminary report, explaining that, twelve victims have been rescued so far, with one adult confirmed dead.

The figure, however, later rose to 13 rescued so far, including restaurant staff, customers, and an entire family who were inside the building when it gave way, while as at the time of filing this report the cause of the collapse remains undetermined, but residents say they had long raised concerns about the structural integrity of the building.

Penpushing also reports that Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has attributed the incident to unapproved structural modifications, as the Permanent Secretary added that

“It was an old building converted into an eatery. Additional construction had been carried out on it before the structure finally collapsed. We are proceeding methodically, using both heavy and light-duty equipment to get to ground zero,” We have credible information that more people may still be under the rubble, so our search is ongoing, layer by layer’, Oke-Osanyintolu said

Penpushing reports that as at the evening a joint rescue operation involving National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Nigeria Police, and other agencies was still underway.

The Permanent Secretary disclosed that five adult women were among those rescued and treated at the scene, while as at the time of this report National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) have cordoned off the site and launched a formal investigation.

Penpushing further reports that Oke-Osanyintolu emphasized that this is a serious warning against tampering with ageing structures, and warned, as well as urging property owners to seek proper approvals before making alterations to existing buildings.

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