* 30 rescued from rubble, many still trapped
By Albert Akpor, Evelyn Usman & Ifeanyi Okolie
LAGOS — RESIDENTS of Oyingbo and environs in Ebute-metta, Lagos Mainland Local Government woke up yesterday to the sight of a two-storey building, reportedly built about 45 years ago, reduced to rubble after a downpour on Saturday night.
As at the time of filing this report, 13 persons were confirmed dead while 30 others were said to have been rescued from the rubble through the combined efforts of rescue workers which include officials of the Lagos State Traffic Authority (LASTMA), Red Cross and the police.
The injured persons are presently at the Lagos Island General hospital where doctors are said to be battling to save their lives.
Rubble of the collapsed 2-storey building at the Iddo Lagos Terminus.
Victims were said to be mainly children and residents who were fast asleep during the downpour. The cause of the building collapse was not clear but sources said a ‘terrifying noise’ was heard after a thunder storm while it was raining.
According to sources, the collapsed building was originally planned and erected as a warehouse, but was converted to a two-storey residential building later.
Rescue operation at the collapse building site.
The ground floor was still used as a warehouse while the top floor was residential quarters for workers of the Nigerian Railways. Electronic equipment, sources said, used to be stored in the warehouse.
When Vanguard got to the scene yesterday, rescue work was still ongoing with a view to ascertaining whether people were still trapped in the debris.
A member of the Nigerian Red Cross rescue team who did not want his name in print told Vanguard that thirteen dead bodies were pulled out of the rubble while fifteen others who were rescued alive but were in critical conditions have been taken to the hospital.
Chairman of the Lagos State Red Cross Society, Deacon Timothy told Vanguard that they had to remain at the scene to provide medical assistance to the injured persons, most of who have been rushed to the hospital for better attention.
He added that an information centre has been opened for collation of data for those still looking for their missing relations.
Many people still feared trapped.
A source at the site of the collapsed building said many other people were still trapped in the debris adding that the building actually collapsed around 3.00am during the heavy downpour.
“We heard a loud noise after a thunderstorm during the rain and later discovered that it was a building in the Iddo- terminus. Some of us rushed there because it was still raining heavily and discovered that many people have been trapped.
We could hear people screaming for help but we were helpless because the time was still past 3.00am. So we contacted the police.”
Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said he could not confirm any casualty figure yet as he was still expecting more information from the policemen on the ground.
He however said that immediately the report of the collapsed building got to the police, they moved to the scene and cordoned off the whole area to ward off people who might capitalise on the situation to loot.
may the soul of the daparted rest in perfect peace AMEN
unh!!! God we are in your mercy.A drastic need to be done by State government on all defective building so that more lives will not be loss.
Unfortunate! unfortunate!! unfortunate!!!. The living should always thank God for his mercies. Incidents of this nature could happen to anyone, however property developers should be more careful knowing that life is always involved in anything that has to do with a building, whether residential or otherwise and all lives are valuable before God. May the soul of the departed rest where they desire to be in line with the way they conducted their lives here on earth before this sudden departure.
I sincerely sympathize all those who loss they lives in the incident.May they soul rest in peace Amen.
Well, this is not a forum where anyone comes in and says his or her mind. When we talk about human life at stake we need to apply caution. What if ur brother is involved, what will ur mind tells you that actually happened to him.
Some complained that the two-storey building was overcrowded by just 50 people. Even if 1000 people climb three-storey building, are they heavier than the building. The collapse was not just ordinary. Let’s think wise so that we can act wise. The building may has existed for some years now and people has being living there for long but why now. When you see Landlord using their building for ritual just to make more income more than he spend when building the house. Or maybe as an oath to secrecy, as a promise to the god. sacrificing lives of human to sustain his or her life. This is why we need to be prayerful any where we are so as to avert all this negativity before they happen. Who knows the next building to collapse, maybe yours. God forbid. Why should God forbid when we have sold ourselves to iniquity and God’s anger is already upon us to punish us and leave us as prey to the evil once. Do you think that these people that the building fall upon and kill are more sinners than you if so what about innocents children involved. The number of people dieing in Lagos everyday outnumbers any state. Lets Wake up spiritually. Nothing happens whit out a cause. Everything happens spiritual before they manifest . LETS WAKEUPWAKEUP…………………….
Why yu too dey do like MUMU? Why yu too dey do like MUMU? Why yu too dey do like MUMU? ahan
All because of the cupidity for money we have lost our senses of order, decorum we now do things just to make more money hahahah
The money we talk about the more problems we that will always be the the lots of Shylock like the conductors the greedy landlords or private developers even market women eni wa ifa o wa ofo
For the dead sun re oh
Sincerely synpathise with those who lost their dear ones in the callapsed building,also wishing the injured ones a speading recovery.The lagos state government should monitor all the equipment use in building houses,making sure the right ones are used inorder to prevent future occurrence of collapse building.
it’s sad to read about another collapsed building and the loss of many lives. My heart goes to those who lost their loved ones in the tragic mishap.
Everybody seems to be blaming the government but who is the government.In Nigeria we have well formulated building regulations by various building authorities.The government is the officer from the building authority who allowed the greedy and myopic landlord to convert the building to another use or to use sub-standard material s or erect a super structure where the soil type cannot bear such structures simply because he has received huge amount of money as bribe.We should not always blame the government for everything.We are the government.Let’s change our attitudes for our own good everywhere we find ourselves-
the things happen all over the world and it has nothing to do with a failed state, I dont know where there are more than 50 people living in a 2 storey building, I have always said that lagos is not the only place in Nigeria where people can make money, lagos is too tight at the moment and that is why you have more than 50 people living in a 2 storey building…. abeg nigeria big..jare.!!
God bless the dead.