The death toll recorded at the scene of the Ebute Metta building collapse has hit eight.
This was disclosed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) via a statement shared on Monday.
According to the statement, the death toll increased from six to eight earlier on Monday morning.
What NEMA is saying about the building collapse
- The acting Coordinator, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, said, “Two male additional bodies recovered, making eight deaths. The recovered corpses were deposited in some of the vehicles the emergency responders brought to the scene of the incident. 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 Lagos State Buildings Control Agency.
What the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service is saying
Lagos Fire and Rescue Service tweeted, “An alert of a collapse of a three-storey building by 32 Ibadan Street, Ebute Meta was received at 21:48 hours, Sunday with Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service already at the scene.
“Search and Rescue ongoing with updates to follow, please.”
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, 20 persons have been rescued alive while two who sustained severe injuries were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment.
LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said, “20 rescued alive out of the victims rescued two sustained severe injuries and have been taken to LASUTH for further treatment.”
In case you missed it
- Nairametrics had reported that a three-storey building at 32 Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos on Sunday night collapsed.
- This was disclosed by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service on Sunday around 11pm via its Twitter handle.
RIP to the dead.
But why is it that when the government seals and marks building for demolition in Lagos, the residents usually resist, break the seal and continue to live defiantly in such buildings?