The death toll from Friday’s building collapse at Ebute Meta, Lagos State, has increased to three with the recovery of the body of a 12-year-old boy.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the territorial coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the figure to newsmen in Lagos.
Before the discovery of the boy, it was earlier reported that two adult bodies were recovered —a male and a female— from the rubble of the two-storey building.
Farinloye had said that the building collapsed on Friday morning on Herbert Marculley Way, Ebute Meta.
He said that the Lagos Building Control Agency had issued an evacuation notice several times on the building, and all the original occupants had packed out.
“It was alleged that the property had been sold out about four months ago.
“Three of the occupants jumped to safety with the assistance of the residents,” Farinloye said.
He added that search and rescue operations were ongoing.
“According to accounts of residents, before the collapse, a dog, which the people in the collapsed building had been taking care of, got to the building and started barking in a sorrowful manner and refused to eat or enter the building.
“No sooner had the dog left than the building came down,” Farinloye said.
In another narration of the incident by the Lagos state emergency management agency, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu,
“Upon arrival at the incident scene, it was observed that a Three-storey residential building with a penthouse collapsed.
“The cause of the collapse is unknown. Three people are presently trapped under the rubbles while other occupants escaped when the building gave signs and sound.”
LASEMA PS insisted an 11 year old female died not a 12 year old male.
Emergency responders at the incident scene are LASEMA, LASAMBUS, LASEMA Pre-Hospital Care Team, Lagos State Fire Service, LASBCA, NEMA, Lagos Mainland LGA and the NPF.
