The Lagos State Government has sealed the two-storey building that collapsed on Modupeola Street, Mangoro, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Wednesday evening.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred around 6pm, trapping six construction workers in the rubble.
The incident comes barely two weeks after four people lost their lives when a three-storey building caved in at No. 325 Bornu Street, Ebute Meta area of the state.
Confirming the development in a statement posted on his Instagram handle on Wednesday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said operatives of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority and other first responders swiftly arrived at the scene.
Omotoso wrote, “A two-storey building has collapsed at 4, Modupeola Street, Mangoro bus stop, Alimosho, Lagos State.
“The cause of the incident, which occurred around 6 p.m., was not immediately known. Government officials have launched a probe into the incident.”
“The LASEMA and other first responders got to the scene in good time and rescued a trapped victim and five others from the rubble,” he said.
According to him, the five rescued victims were taken to a private hospital nearby, while the trapped victim, who sustained a fracture and bruises, was transported by the Lagos State Ambulance Service to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Surgical Emergency.
“He (the trapped victim) arrived at the hospital in a stable condition and was immediately admitted for further treatment. The 44-year-old patient lives at 10, Olabode Street, Alimosho,” Omotoso added.
Also, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service on Wednesday stated that the structure, which was originally a bungalow, had been undergoing conversion into a two-storey building while occupants still resided on the ground floor.
The Controller General of the agency, Margaret Adeseye, who confirmed this in a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro, added that the collapse affected the rear section of the building.
“The situation is currently under control. Responding units included the Ikeja Fire Station and Agege Fire Station. Five construction workers, all male adults, who were rescued, sustained varying degrees of injuries and were promptly transported to the hospital for treatment.”
Adeseye added that no fatality was recorded in the incident.
During a visit to the location by our correspondent on Thursday, the building was seen to have been sealed by the Lagos State Building Control Agency.
A resident who identified himself simply as Moses told our correspondent, however, said the victims were working when the incident happened.
“We really can’t say when they started building the storey building because of the tree covering the house, but we know it has been running for weeks. The construction was ongoing when the partial collapse occurred.”
Meanwhile, another resident who did not want his name in print, while citing privacy, said other residents were unaware of the incident when it happened because of the downpour.
“It happened when the rain was falling, so people around did not know what had happened. As you can see, this is an estate where you can rarely see people on the street. It was someone who was on the premises who raised the alarm to call the attention of other residents.”
Our correspondent gathered that the residents embarked on rescue operations before the arrival of emergency responders.
“The fire service men arrived around 6:30pm, and took over from the residents. One of them was badly injured and even looked like he was almost paralysed before he was attended to and rushed to the hospital,” another resident who also craved anonymity said.
The latest incident comes amid renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations as Lagos continues to grapple with frequent cases of building collapse.
In July, four people narrowly escaped death after a three-storey building collapsed along Adeniji-Adele Road in the Isale Eko area.
PUNCH.
