Culled from National Mirror.
A three-storey building collapsed yesterday on Amu Street, near Challenge Bus Stop, Mushin in Lagos and killed a 12-month-old baby. An eye witness said that the building, which was in a deplorable condition, collapsed following the heavy downpour which began around 12noon yesterday. It was learnt that rescuers did not arrive at the scene on time as few occupants were trapped under the rubbles.
A resident in the area, Beyiose Femi, said the building is very old and that it should have been demolished long before its eventual collapse. Femi said: “We thank God that not many people died in the incident. You should have seen the house before it collapsed.
It was in bad condition. To be sincere with you, the building ought to have been demolished before it eventually collapsed. “As at the time it collapsed, some people were trapped inside, calling for help. We made frantic efforts at rescuing them, before the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) officials arrived. They were shouting for help, saying they were suffocating.” It was gathered that the officials arrived the scene three hours after the incident.
Confirming the incident, NEMA spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said: “A three-storey building in Mushin collapsed and killed a 12-month-old baby, but several others that were injured from the impact of the blast have been taken to the hospital. “As at the last headcount by the occupants of the building, we can safely say that no one is still trapped in the rubbles after the evacuation and rescue process was undertaken.
“We were concerned with the safety of lives and the emergency team moved in immediately when we got information on the collapsed building.” He, however, urged residents to subject their buildings to routine structural tests by the relevant government agency to ascertain their state of habitation, adding that so far, over 36 cases of structurally defect buildings had been reported in different parts of the state and integrity tests had been carried out on them.
While calling on residents to report buildings suspected to be under threat of collapse, Farinloye reiterated that NEMA and Lagos Building Inspection personnel have been deployed to checkmate such incidents from occurring by using preventive measures.
A resident in the area, Beyiose Femi, said the building is very old and that it should have been demolished long before its eventual collapse. Femi said: “We thank God that not many people died in the incident. You should have seen the house before it collapsed.
It was in bad condition. To be sincere with you, the building ought to have been demolished before it eventually collapsed. “As at the time it collapsed, some people were trapped inside, calling for help. We made frantic efforts at rescuing them, before the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) officials arrived. They were shouting for help, saying they were suffocating.” It was gathered that the officials arrived the scene three hours after the incident.
Confirming the incident, NEMA spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said: “A three-storey building in Mushin collapsed and killed a 12-month-old baby, but several others that were injured from the impact of the blast have been taken to the hospital. “As at the last headcount by the occupants of the building, we can safely say that no one is still trapped in the rubbles after the evacuation and rescue process was undertaken.
“We were concerned with the safety of lives and the emergency team moved in immediately when we got information on the collapsed building.” He, however, urged residents to subject their buildings to routine structural tests by the relevant government agency to ascertain their state of habitation, adding that so far, over 36 cases of structurally defect buildings had been reported in different parts of the state and integrity tests had been carried out on them.
While calling on residents to report buildings suspected to be under threat of collapse, Farinloye reiterated that NEMA and Lagos Building Inspection personnel have been deployed to checkmate such incidents from occurring by using preventive measures.
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