Emergency agency clears three traffic incidents across Lagos

A worker trapped beneath the rubble of a storey building that collapsed during manual demolition at Adedoyin Street, Ijegun, Ikotun, Lagos, has been recovered dead, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has said.

The recovery brought the rescue operation at the scene to an end following the collapse, which was reported at about 1:44 p.m. yesterday.

Another worker, who sustained an injury to his hand, had been taken to hospital for treatment before the emergency response team arrived.

In an update on the incident, LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency’s response team, working with personnel from its Cappa and Igando bases, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), successfully extricated the trapped worker.

He said the victim was recovered dead, adding that the body was placed in a body bag and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Ikotun Division, in the presence of the Divisional Police Officer.

The body was subsequently released to the family in line with established procedures.

The scene has been cordoned off to prevent further hazards and allow the relevant authorities to assess the site.

The Lagos State Government expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and wished the injured worker a speedy recovery. It also pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine whether building control regulations were observed.

The government urged developers, property owners and contractors to comply with building regulations and engage qualified professionals for demolition and construction work to prevent similar incidents.

Meanwhile, LASEMA said its response teams had concluded operations at three other traffic-related incidents across the state.

At Iyana-Oworo, inward Third Mainland Bridge, the agency’s Tiger Team from the C3 Base responded to an accident involving a Lexus Jeep with registration number BDG 404 KA, which reportedly somersaulted after the driver lost control.

The vehicle was extensively damaged, while an adult male sustained injuries and had been taken to hospital before responders arrived. No death was recorded.

The team secured the scene, managed traffic and arranged for a private tow truck to move the vehicle to a lay-by, restoring normal traffic flow.

In another incident, an empty gas tanker with registration number T30015LA reportedly suffered brake failure while ascending the hilly Paramount Road near Okeabata Junction, along Ayetoro Road, Epe.

The tanker veered into the road median, obstructing about 97 per cent of the roadway. No casualties were recorded.

LASEMA’s Whales Team from the Epe Base, working with personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service from Okeoso Station, secured the scene and arranged for a private tow vehicle to remove the tanker.

At Arena, Oshodi, a truck broke down on a railway track following a mechanical fault involving its propeller, obstructing train movement.

The agency’s Beta Eagle Team from the Cappa Base, alongside personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and soldiers, diverted traffic while awaiting the arrival of LASEMA’s heavy-duty recovery equipment, Super Metro.

The equipment was used to remove the truck from the track to a safe lay-by, allowing rail and road movement to resume.

The state government commended LASEMA and its partner agencies for their response to the incidents and reiterated the need for motorists to maintain their vehicles and avoid reckless driving.

Residents were also urged to report emergencies promptly through the state’s toll-free lines, 767 and 112.