A building consisting of more than 500 rooms in the Ketu area of Lagos collapsed, with the heavy downpour on Saturday cited as the cause.
Those injured in the incident are reportedly receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Additionally, a separate incident occurred yesterday, where one person was hospitalized and others sustained minor injuries when four two-story buildings situated beside each other partially collapsed at 47/49 Oduntan Street, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
It is believed that the Saturday downpour may have weakened the structures, leading to these collapses.
Regarding the Ketu building collapse, Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA’s South West Coordinator, confirmed the incident and stated, 'It occurred at Agboye Estate in Oduntan Street, Ketu. Two people had partial injuries and are responding to treatment. The building was a school turned residential housing with more than 500 rooms. It partially caved in yesterday afternoon.'
Concerning the Oduntan Street buildings, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), reported that there were no recorded deaths at the time of the statement. He mentioned that 'a two-storey building and a four-storey building situated beside each other' had collapsed due to aging and poor maintenance by the owner.
He further explained, 'Investigation conducted by the LRT revealed that the collapse could be attributed to aging and poor maintenance on the part of the owner.
Further investigation revealed that the staircase of the building caved in. Unfortunately, a male adult fell due to the impact of the collapse from the topmost floor and has been taken to the hospital while others sustained minor injuries.'
In response to the situation, residents of the affected building were asked to evacuate immediately under the supervision of a combined team consisting of LASEMA, Rapid Response Team (RRS), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), and Lagos Neighborhood and Security Corps (LNSC) to prevent further incidents.
Moreover, the affected building is scheduled for demolition as it has failed a structural integrity test, posing a threat to the public and nearby structures. This decision follows confirmation by LABSCA officials at the scene.
