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Collapsed 21-storey building: Seven bodies evacuated, more still trapped

Published

3 years ago

November 1, 2021

Seven bodies have been evacuated from the debris of the collapsed 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria..

The building under construction caved in on Monday afternoon with many people said to be trapped.

Rescue operation is currently ongoing, with emergency responders battling to save those trapped in the debris.

But the sad news is that seven bodies have been evacuated from the remains of the building so far, with more still expected.

An emergency responder source, who is not permitted to speak, confided in PM NEWS that seven dead bodies have been evacuated so far.

The source said since they had been working, nobody has been brought out alive from the debris, but admitted that few people were rescued before emergency responders arrived the scene.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Idris Salako; Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, among others have arrived the scene.

Hamzat has not yet granted interview to newsmen as he took time to access the ruins.

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Emergency responders mobilised to the scene of the collapse few minutes after it occurred.

There was a large number of onlookers and sympathisers at the scene.

The owner of the building is not yet ascertained, but unconfirmed sources said he was among those trapped in the debris.

Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Red Cross, police and others are still at the scene.

Director General, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said emergency responders were on top of the situation.

Osanyintolu said the agency had activated its emergency response plan to the scene of the incident.

“All first responders are en-route to secure the scene while the heavy duty equipment and life detection equipment have been dispatched,” he said.