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School building collapse: Facebook triggers ‘safety check’ after disaster

Published

5 years ago

March 14, 2019

Facebook has activated its safety check feature following the collapse of a building on 63 , Massey Street , Ita Faaji area of Lagos Island.
Safety check allows people in the affected area to let friends know they are safe . It also allows people to offer and render help to one another during a crisis .

Lagos residents have since started using the feature on Facebook , observation by our correspondent on Thursday showed.

When an incident such as an earthquake , hurricane, mass shooting or building collapse occurs where people might be in danger, a global crisis reporting agency alerts Facebook .

At least 10 persons , including four schoolchildren , were feared dead on Wednesday when a three – storey building , which housed a school , Ohen Nursery and Primary School , and residential apartments , crumbled around 10 am .

Rescue efforts have been underway since the incident occurred , with about 50 persons rescued by officers of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and other emergency responders , including the National Emergency Management Agency , the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Red Cross Society.