The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), a while ago, confirmed the collapse of a 21-storey building under construction on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos
Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, Director General (DG) of the agency, in a statement, said the emergency response plan has been activated and first responders deployed.
“The agency has activated its emergency response plan to the above incident.
“All first responders are en-route to secure the scene, while the heavy-duty equipment and life detection equipment have been dispatched,” he explained.
There are reports that scores of artisans are feared trapped in the building which caved in earlier today, November 1, 2021.
It is also believed that the developer of the magnificent building may be among those feared trapped.
However, many others are believed to be trapped in the building which was under construction.
The building fell down on Monday at around 1.30pm.
Rescue officials said many workers were caught inside the building when it crumbled though they could not confirm the number of people trapped or dead.
Dozens of angry residents gathered at the site soon after the collapse, many crying and voicing frustration over the slow pace of the rescue efforts.
“We have brought out one dead body and rescued three alive so far but rescue operation is still going on,’ Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency said.
‘We are also trying to bring in the military to assist in crowd control.’
Four construction workers at the site said dozens of their colleagues were inside when the building crumbled.
‘Like 40 people were inside, I see 10 bodies because I climbed up,’ said Peter Ajagbe, 26, one local worker on the site.
‘One of my partners is dead.’
Taiwo Sule, 21, another worker, said he had seen five bodies on top of the collapsed building, where he had tried to help recover them.
Construction worker Eric Tetteh, 41, was inside the building.
He said the builders were waiting for an excavator to arrive at the site when the building suddenly crumbled into a heap of debris.
He said: ‘Me and my brother, we escaped, but more people are there, more than 100 people.’
Obafemi Hamzat, deputy governor of Lagos, was met on his arrival at the site by angry youths who accused authorities of failing to immediately launch rescue efforts.
