The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed that six persons were rescued and four died following the collapse of a three-storey building.
The building is located at No. 325, Bornu Street, Ebute Meta, Lagos State.
At the scene of the incident, Mr Olatunde Akinsanya, Director of Operations, LASEMA, told newsmen that the agency received a distress call at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and immediately deployed a team to the scene.
“Emergency scene management is highly complex, and casualty figures often change as rescue operations progress.
“So far, six people have been rescued alive, while four have unfortunately lost their lives,” Akinsanya said.
He said that coordinated efforts of multiple agencies helped to contain the situation and ensure timely recue.
He listed the agencies to include Lagos State Building Control Agency, the police, Lagos State Fire Service, and Federal Road Safety Corps.
Akinsanya said that in spite of the magnitude of the collapse and number of people in the building at the time, swift intervention of the agencies prevented much loss of lives.
“The emergency services of Lagos State under the leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu have proven to be highly effective and efficient. As operations continue, we will keep updating the public.
“We urge Lagosians to remain calm and assured that the state government has state-of-the-art equipment to manage situations like this,” he added.
On crowd control and security at the scene, Akinsanya commended the residents for cooperation, attributing it to increased sensitisation and synergy between emergency services and the public.
“People now understand the need to give space for responders, and the residents have been highly cooperative,” he said.
He added that rescue operations were still ongoing, as officials worked to clear debris and increase search.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that two persons were rescued early on Monday after about three days of being under the debris of the collapsed building, making the total number of rescued persons to six.
