10 rescued from rubble, LABSCA officials attack journalists
A four-storey building collapsed in Lagos, yesterday. Also, a container-laden truck overturned.

The state was however spared of mourning as no life was lost in both incidents.

Confirming the development, spokesperson for the Lagos State Collapsed Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Olusegun Olaoye, said the collapsed building, at Iga Iduganran, Lagos Island, near the palace of the Oba of Lagos, had been slated for demolition.

“Our men are on ground, and thank God, no life was lost. The building had been marked as distressed by LASBCA before now. After a head count, there was no missing person,” Olaoye said.

Also, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, confirmed on his X account that eight people were rescued from the incident.

He said: “A four-storey building  collapsed at Iga Iduganran, Lagos Island. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency officials have rescued eight people from the rubble. They are battling to retrieve two others from the rubble. The structure had been marked by LASBCA for evacuation.”

Speaking on the incident, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), said 10 persons trapped in the  building were rescued.

Director of  Operations and Maintenance for LASEMA,  Olatunde Akinsanya, said the agency received a distressed call at about 11::07.p.m.

He said:  “LASEMA and all the stakeholders carried out rescue operations and pulled out 10 trapped persons.

All the victims were extricated from the rubbles and were stabilised and transported to the Primary Health Centre. It’s  a standard practice that an incident scene is not left behind for a long time because it often creates trauma to the community and the people.

It will show that the government has not taken action,  that is why we moved the search and rescue operation to ground zero after we were satisfied that no life was left in the debris.The community supported us in the operation. Going forward,  .

“ The  collapsed structure was marked for removal. So,  I want to appeal to people to move their things out after their buildings are marked for demolition. If they had done this, the government wouldn’t have spent these resources to search for people and medical services.

“An integrity test will be carried out on the 10 adjoining houses to determine their strength  because we don’t want something like this to happen again.   “Lagosians should call LASEMA whenever they see any distressed buildings. The people must adhere to the building code,” he added..

MEANWHILE, some officials of LASBCA  harassed   journalists with broken bottles and assaulted The Guardian reporter despite showing them  his Identity Card (ID).

“I will bundle you and nothing will happen”, the leader of the officers ranted.

Recall that an 11-year-old girl and three persons lost their lives when a mosque, hit by an excavator, collapsed on Sunday in the Papa Ajao area of the state.

The truck incident happened at the Liverpool overhead bridge, Apapa, Lagos.

According to a witness, the vehicle, which had been conveying a 22ft container, lost the function of its brake and fell on its side, spilling its content.

The witness said: “People were under the bridge selling. This truck fell with its load. This is one of the reasons the federal and state governments should stop people from trading under the bridge because disasters could happen.”

The witness said: “People were under the bridge selling. This truck fell with its load. This is one of the reasons the federal and state governments should stop people from trading under the bridge because disasters could happen.”