Residents of Muri-Okunola Street, Victoria Island of Iru/Victoria Island Local Council development Area of Lagos State were thrown into mourning yesterday evening as five storeys building under construction collapsed during the casting leaving four people dead and many sustained various injuries.
It was gathered that about 52 labour and some engineers were initially trapped under the rumble during the collapse around 3. 45 p.m but with joint efforts from the passer-by, members of Red Cross, Navy, Air force, Police, Civil Defence and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) some casualties were rescued
As at press time four dead bodies were evacuated, about thirty (30) casualties were rescued with various injuries while about twenty (20) victims were still under the rumble.
Some health officers speaking with said those still under the rumble numbering about 20 have slim chances to survive as they have been trapped more than four hours without tangible effort to rescue them due to lack of proper equipment to evacuate them.
There was a little protest by uninjured labour and area boys within the vicinity as a result of what they described as lack of proper equipment by LASEMA and other rescue team to save the lives of remaining trapped workers but Police dispersed them and called for reinforcement for fear of further protest or attack.
Sources say about three Engineers supervising the construction were still trapped under the rumble; the white BMW car of one of the Engineer was packed in front of the collapsed building as lack of equipment like crane made it difficult for the rescue team to evacuate not less than 20 people that are still trapped.
Unconfirmed report from the scene of the collapse said the collapsed building belongs to Iru/Victoria Island LCDA while other report said it was the same contractor that built the LCDA building besides the collapsed building that was handling the construction.
An hour before the incidence, it was gathered, an official of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA) came to mark the building either for demolition or stop the construction while the sign post to show the information on the ongoing construction such as the names of company handling the construction, what the building is meant for and others was removed by unknown person.
Some of the workers working at the collapsed building said poor quality materials especially iron rod using for the construction responsible for the collapse.
The incident which occurred around 4.00 p.m, the officials of Lagos State Physical Planning Development Authority (LSPPDA) and Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA) were not arrive the scene until around 7.00 p.m.
All efforts to speak with LASEMA on the allegation that lack of proper equipment from them responsible for dead and trapping of the remaining victims met a brick wall as the Public Relations of the Agency declined to talk, noting that it is the General Manager that can speak and on his way to the venue of the scene but the GM never arrived around 7. 55 p.m when our correspondent left the scene, still leaving about 20 people trapped.
