NEWS ON COLLAPSES IN NIGERIA

3-storey building collapses in Lagos, 4 rescued

 A three-storey residential building located at Swamp Street, Odunfa, Lagos Island, collapsed on Wednesday morning with some residents trapped.

A witness said four of the trapped victims have been rescued alive.
The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Sola Adeigbe, said the collapsed building had been served notice to undergo a non-destructive integrity test.
Mr. Adeigbe said the test was to ascertain the structural stability of the building in order to know if it could be renovated or re-engineered.
“Once a building has been detected to have a defect, we ask building owners to take the test before further actions are taken.
“We gave an ultimatum for the test which had expired before today; they responded by saying they will do the test but unfortunately the incident just occurred.
“The law is explanatory enough; if only our people will comply; it is like a suicide mission when people occupy a distressed building.
“The agency has sealed about 1,104 buildings from June till date across the state due to defective or illegal construction,” he said.
Bamidele Onimode, the South-West Zonal Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, also spoke on the incident.
“We got a call from the emergency operation centre about 9 a.m. and a rescue team was immediately mobilised to the scene.
“We have been able to rescue four occupants, and they have been taken to the clinic for further treatment.
“The combined team of NEMA, LASEMA and the construction company are trying to get the rubble together and be sure no one is trapped under,” Mr. Onimode said.
Meanwhile, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Michael Akindele, said that the rescue was prompt due to effective activation of all emergency agencies to the scene.
“We got distress call about 9 a.m. and we immediately activated all emergency agencies including Fire Service, the Nigeria Police and Civil Defence, for effective service.
“However, the rescue operation is still ongoing, we are using all our equipment and officials to monitor the sounds underneath while the excavator is removing the concrete and blocks.
“This will ensure thorough search to ascertain that there are no more people underneath the building,” Mr. Akindele said.
(NAN)

Collapsed building: Rescued octogenarian dies in hospital

Hours after her rescue from the collapsed Odunfa, Lagos building on Wednesday, Mrs Mistura Amodu, an octogenarian, died in the hospital, it was learnt yesterday.

She died at the General Hospital, Lagos around 5pm on Wednesday. She was 89.

A family member, who was with her when she breathe her last, said Maami, as she was fondly called, was hale and hearty after she was rescued from the debris of the building.

“Despite the fact she was covered in dust, her voice was still audible. She was very fine and I never thought she was going to die. She still asked if we were able to save some things but I pleaded with her to relax instead of talking. I really can’t remember the last thing she said but it is a painful exit. Even my brother had bought the medicine for her as prescribed by the doctor but she is no more to use any of it. I will miss maami. She was strong till the end,” she said.

Her daughter, Mrs Fatimah Ishola, who walked out of the collapsed building, said she was having her bath when the incident happened.

“I live on the first floor with my family and mother. I served my mother breakfast and went to the bathroom when I heard a part of the building cracking. As I stepped out of the bathroom, the building collapsed. Sincerely, I don’t know how I came out. It was God.

“It was after I came out I realised my mother was still trapped inside. I really wished she survived. But, what can I do? I don’t have anything even the money I managed to bring from our house has been stolen from me. The cloth on me is not mine. A friend gave me yesterday after coming out of the building almost naked. I was my mother’s first and last. While I grew up, she was my sister. I was her confidant. It is so unfortunate. The only time she stepped out of the house was Wednesdays when she visits my father in our family house. The only reason I moved into the building five years ago was because they just renovated it,” she said.

Her husband, Alhaji Tajudeen Ishola, said Alhaja Amodu had been living with them in the last three years since her return from hajj in 2013.

He said: “We became very close while she lived with us. She was always indoors, praying. No matter what I do, I will always remember her.”

Residents are counting their losses in the incident.

Alhaja Nimotallah Garuba, who operates a restaurant on the ground floor, said she was in debt.

She said she had spent N1 million for her daughter’s wedding Aso Ebi coming up next Saturday.

“I went to the market last week for the cloth and told people to come for their attire on Tuesday. I have not given up to five people. How will I repay them? I have been operating my restaurant for over 20 years and I have never witnessed this incident. Myself and 11 of my caterers slept on a pavement. We were like vigilantes throughout the night. I need help. Everything is gone,” Alhaja Garuba cried.

Fatimah Usman, who is squatting in a friend’s place with her family, said it wasn’t going to last for long.

She said: ”The last time I squatted with a friend was when I was young. My friend is a married woman. How long will I continue to do that? The government should please help us. My husband also slept with a friend. We don’t have a kobo to get another apartment.”

Another occupant, Habib Kareem, just moved in last Sunday with his wife.

Habib said he had paid N350, 000 of the N360,000 rent.

He said: “As I finished praying on Sunday night, Mr Ahmed, who rented the flat  to me asked for the N10,000 balance but I ignored him. I have spent N150, 000 on the apartment before I moved in. I thought I was already capable of taking responsibilities now I am back squatting with my brother while my wife went to her mother’s place.”

Mr Bayo Adedoyin spent only two days in the two-bedroom flat he rented. He said his family had gone to church before the incident happened.

For Shukurat Ishola, her hope of furthering her education is dim.

“Our house collapsed; my grandmother died. We have nothing. I just gained admission to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) and I don’t know if that can be possible now. We don’t have the money to take our grandmother’s body from the mortuary. We are that poor now. We need help. The government should treat our matter with utmost urgency,”she said.

Lagos State Safety Commission Director-General Fouad Alade-Oki said every building in the neighbourhood would be checked, adding that the exercise will extend to other areas.

“We have been directing landlords to go to material testing laboratory to know if their building is not distressed. Afterwards, we will be able to know if the building can be renovated or demolished.

“We want to make sure they are safe and habitable and also make sure every building on the Island is certified. We will not allow this unfortunate incident to happen again. Residents should also help us by giving us information and we promise to keep it confidential,” he said.

No death in Lagos building collapse — LASEMA

The general manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Michael Akindele, said on Wednesday that no live was lost in the building collapse at Lekki, Lagos on Tuesday.
Mr. Akindele said the agency’s search and rescue mission was concluded at 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
A two-storey building under construction at No. 37 Agungi-Ajiran Road, Lekki collapsed at about 6.30 a.m.
Two persons were rescued by residents before the arrival of rescue agencies.
According to reports by witnesses, that four “okada” riders sleeping in the building were trapped in the building compelled LASEMA officials to excavate the debris.
”We mobilised two cranes to the site and they excavated the debris to the zero level.
”There was nobody dead or alive found and so the rescue mission was concluded at that point.
”The agency’s work as far as the collapse is concerned has ended.
”The relevant agencies like ministry of physical planning and the Lagos State Building and Control Agency (LASBCA) will continue their work,” he said.
Mr. Akindele said since the quality of materials used in constructing the building was doubtful, the relevant agency would carry out investigations on the materials.
The building had been marked by LASBCA on August 11 with notices to stop construction served on the contractors handling the project