No fewer than 25 construction workers escaped death on
Tuesday after a two-storey building collapsed on Ajiran
Road, Agungi Lekki Road, Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the building collapsed around 6am
as work was about to commence for the day.
Eyewitnesses said some construction workers were already
in the building before it collapsed, adding that no fewer
than three persons were trapped.
Two workers, Kojo Kade and Idowu Sunday, who managed
to escape from the building, were said to have sustained
some injuries.
While 20-year-old Sunday reportedly jumped down from
the second floor and broke his leg, Kade, a Togolese, was
said to have broken his spinal cord and referred to the
National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi.
An eyewitness, Emeka Samson, claimed that aside the two
survivors, there were more workers trapped in the rubble.
He said, “It was around some minutes to 7am. We just
heard a loud noise and as we rushed here, we discovered
the building had collapsed.
“We mobilised other youths in the community and rescued
Sunday and Kade. We were about searching for more
victims when the police showed up and ordered that we
should leave the place.
“There were five of them there. We only rescued two; three
more are still trapped.”
PUNCH Metro observed that the collapsed structure was in
the midst of two other similar buildings.
It was gathered that the structure was erected within a
short time.
A sand supplier to the building, Waliu Ajisebi, said it was
raised to roofing level in four months.
He said, “I supply sharp sand and granite to the building.
The house foundation was laid about four months ago. They
were to commence the parapet this morning when it
collapsed.
“But if it had fallen in the day time when so many workers
would be working on it, the casualties would have been many
because about 25 workers can be here at a time.”
Our correspondent observed that two caterpillars were
searching through the debris for survivors.
Officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State
Building Control Agency, Lagos State Emergency
Management Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps, Lagos State Emergency Ambulance Service, Nigerian
Army, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Fire Service, were
sighted by our correspondent.
The General Manager of the state fire service, Rasak
Fadipe, said the agency received a distress call around
7.46am, adding that the Lekki Phase 2 Fire Station was
deployed to the scene.
He said, “We got here around 8am. We engaged the
community youths and the police in a search-and-rescue
operation which led to the rescue of two persons. The injury
of one was very critical and he has been rushed to a
private hospital. The second man, who jumped from the
second floor, was treated by LASAMBUS and has been
released.”
Fadipe warned people against sleeping in buildings under
construction.
The General Manager of LASBCA, Sola Adeigbe, explained
that the owner of the building had no approval.
“We have even marked the building and asked the owner to
show up with his permit, but he did not. We were told that
he employed people who worked at night so that we will not
catch them,” he said.
He said the other buildings had been sealed off and work
might not continue on them until after they had passed
integrity tests.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Michael Akindele, said
rescue operation was ongoing as the agency got the report
that there were still people trapped in the rubble.
He said, “It is alleged that six workers were trapped as of
the time of the incident. Rescue operation is in progress. So
far, two male adults have been rescued. One is in a private
hospital.”
Our correspondent visited the private hospital on Osapa-
London where Kade was rushed to.
A worker at the hospital said his injuries were serious,
hence his referral to Igbobi.
She said, “His injuries were serious and his condition
critical. He had a fracture at his back and we had to refer
him to Igbobi. But I am not sure he was taken there.”
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