Another building collapses in Lagos, three killed, others trapped

 

Engineers on Site Inspection

Three persons were confirmed dead and about four others including a security guard and construction workers were reportedly trapped on Saturday after a three-storey building under construction on Akanbi Crescent, in the Yaba area of Lagos collapsed.

It was learnt that a worker, identified only as Sunday, was rescued from the rubble.

The incident, which occurred around 3.30 pm, was coming barely three months after a 21-storey building in Ikoyi, owned by the late Managing Director, Fourscore Heights Limited, Femi Osibona, collapsed, trapping over 50 persons.

More than 40 persons, including Osibona, his personal assistant, Onyinye Enekwe, and friend, Wale Bob-Oseni, were killed.

A preliminary report had blamed the Ikoyi incident on violation of the approved building plan initially designed as eight storeys and poor quality of concrete materials.

Some residents and eyewitnesses, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the Yaba building collapse, also fingered compromise in the quality of the materials.

Sunday, one of the survivors, explained that the building had shown signs of distress and he reported it to his boss. He said the boss told him and other workers to ignore the signs and keep working.

He stated, “Even today (Saturday), as we were working, the building was shaking, but our oga (boss) said we should continue (working). We even agreed that after today, we would not come back here again to work. I thank God for saving me from this mess, but my phone is still inside.”

A 16-year-old, who identified himself only as Shan, said he had gone to buy food for one of the construction workers and was about to enter when it suddenly collapsed.

Continue...