5-year-old boy dead, scores escape as 3-storey building collapses in Lagos
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Tragedy struck on Thursday when a 5-year-old boy died and scores narrowly escaped death following the partial collapse of a distressed three-storey building in Adeniji Adele axis of Lagos State.
It was learnt that the building at 19, Church Street of Adeniji Adele Street in Lagos Island suddenly, caved in part when some of the occupants including the deceased child, were already asleep. It was gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of the day.
According to men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, who raced to the scene on a rescue mission, the single, yet-to-be-identified fatality was lost due to a room beam that partially collapsed on the boy when the incident occurred. Other occupants at the time of the incident sustained different degrees of injuries and have been taken to the hospital for treatment.
Director-General of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, explained that: “The distress call which was transmitted at 10:55 am, July 8, 2021, through the Toll-Free 767/112 Emergency numbers activated the Lagos State Emergency Response Plans that saved the lives of other residents and properties surrounding the affected building.
“Situation report had it that upon arrival at the scene, a room beam partially collapsed on a five-year-old boy, at the aforementioned address.
“Further investigation revealed that the building had been slated for non-integrity test because of visible cracks on the beam and columns of the building, all the tenants had been asked to evacuate the building and also the building has been cordoned off for the safety of residents.
“Unfortunately, a small boy lost his life to the incident scene”.
As of press time, the body of the deceased had been taken to the morgue.
Aside from LASEMA, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA and the Lagos State Safety Commission were also present at the scene to conduct a proper assessment of the affected building.
