Following the conclusion of the rescue operation on the scene of a collapsed building at Ire-Akari Estate, Isolo, area of Lagos, it has been confirmed that 19 workers have been rescued alive from the building.
The three-storey building, which collapsed around 2 pm, had 22 people trapped in it.
The General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Tiamiyu Muyiwa Adesina confirmed that 19 people were rescued alive from the building while 3 were found dead.
“19 of the workers including an engineer working on the building were rescued alive and had all been taken to Isolo General Hospital for appropriate medical treatment. Painfully, bodies of 3 workers were recovered from the building and were all taken to Lagos Mainland Mortuary Yaba.” He said.
Residents of the community revealed that the building collapsed because of the hastiness of contractors to complete it. They also pointed that construction workers made use of substandard materials in building the house.
Alhaji Nurudeen, a resident of the community said, “the way the building was standing while construction is ongoing, some of us know it will collapse because it was not perfectly built. The building started February and the way the building was being rushed, we knew for certain that it will collapse but we didn’t know it will be this soon.”
Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, revealed that the owner of the building was eager for it to be completed.
“Construction workers were working day and night just to ensure that they finish the building on time, the foundation was not given enough time to dry up same applies to deck and pillars. The house was almost completed in less than three months, which is way too fast for a three-storey building.”
Mr. Kehinde Adebayo, Public Relations Officer of LASEMA revealed that the Police would resume investigation to ascertain what led to the collapse of the building. He also made it known that the three bodies recovered has been handed to the Police for identification.[slideshow]53145[/slideshow]