The death toll from the building that collapsed in Maryland, Lagos State, yesterday has risen to five.
It was earlier gathered that three construction workers died in the incident that occurred at 13 Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate Maryland around 3 am yesterday.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Permanent Secretary, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, who gave the update, said search and rescue operations had been swift.
“Initially, three adult males were recovered dead, two male adults were rescued alive, and one adult male trapped under the rubble was rescued alive by the LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service.
“All the six men were site workers. They are receiving pre-hospital care on location while SEHMU has been contacted for the remains of the three fatalities.
“Now, the total number of dead is five, adult males and a total number of five persons rescued and receiving medical treatment,” he said
Meanwhile, LASEMA, yesterday, said the owner of the collapsed building was still at large.
The agency’s Director of Operations, Olatunde Akinsanya, an engineer, who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen at the incident venue, however, appealed to the owner of the collapsed building to make an appearance.
“No one has come forward to say he or she owns the property. We are appealing to the owner to come forward because he or she can’t at this point be at large,” Akinsanya said.
He said part of the unit of the building would be taken for material testing to determine the cause of the incident.
“A neighbour who lives beside the building, Mrs Yusuf Jumoke, a businesswoman, said she heard the building collapsed early hours of the morning.
“I heard the noise, and I came out and saw that the building had collapsed.
“I can’t talk about the history of the building because I am not involved about the operation. All I know is they work there every day and night and that is all I know,” she said.
Another resident, Mayen Adetiba, an engineer, attributed rampant collapsed buildings to a lack of usage of competent building engineers.
“These are things we need to stop in this country. There are so many quacks running all over the place.
“People believe the fees of professionals are too expensive. Government needs to wake up. They have bodies that should look at these things,” she said.
LASEMA, it was gathered, received a distress call regarding a collapsed building at No 13, Wilson Mba Str., Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, Lagos, at about 3.49 a.m.
Five other persons who were found in the collapsed building were also rescued and given medical attention.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), LASEMA, the Police, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency, were all on the ground.
