Four-storey building collapses in Lagos

SEVEN labourers yesterday cheated death as a four-storey building on 38 Commercial Avenue in Yaba area of Lagos State, caved in, leaving scores injured.   Although it could not be ascertained if ‎anyone is still buried in the rubbles at the time of filing this report, labourers working on the building however believed that nobody died.

‎It was gathered that the incident, which occurred around 2:30 pm, threw the entire area into confusion, as residents in adjoining premises scampered for safety.   ‎

Confirming the incident, the General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Michael Kolawole, said that the building was under construction, adding that nobody died in the incident as the labourers working on the site were on lunch-break when it caved in.

He said: “The building is located at 38 Commercial Avenue, Yaba. Fortunately, nobody died in the incident. All the workers in the building escaped. About seven workers, we were, told escaped death.

“However, rescue operation is still in progress, going down to the basement. The building is under construction,” Kolawole said.   The LASEMA general manager, however, added that the agency could not conclusively declare that no one still trapped in the ill-fated  ‎building.

“We cannot ascertain that until we finish with our rescue operation because all what we are dealing with now is the search and rescue operation on the collapsed building. It is when we conclude this that we will be able to speak on that.”

He said further that two building‎s beside the collapsed building were affected by the collapsed building, but stressed that no life was lost in the incident.    “There are two buildings- a church and a residential building by the side-that are partially affected but there was no serious damage.

At present, a search and rescue mission is ongoing. Nobody sustained injury, because we were told they were all on break when the incident happened,” he added.   The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson, Ibrahim Farinloye, also confirmed that no life was lost.