Death toll rises in Lagos building collapse

13 Feb Death toll rises in Lagos building collapse

One more body was recovered from the rubble after a building under construction collapsed on Saturday in Yaba, Lagos, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said.

The recovered body, found by rescue officials at around 1 a.m., increased the death toll to four. Three bodies were pulled out on Saturday.

At least five workers are still trapped under the rubble of the latest incident while two people have been rescued, NEMA added.

“The building was said to have shown signs on Thursday and when one of the neighbours called their attention to it, they told him off,” Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA acting zonal coordinator, southwest, said.

Mr Farinloye added that traffic gridlock frustrated the mobilisation of heavy-duty equipment to the accident site.

Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the director-general of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said the state’s emergency responders are “on ground” at the incident site.

“Recovery operation ongoing for other victims,” he added.

In a similar event in November, at least 40 people died when a high-rise under construction collapsed in the Ikoyi area of the state.