One of the rescue workers confirmed at about 10.30p.m. that no fewer than 18 bodies had been recovered and taken to Agoro mosque in Idumota, Lagos Island.
About 40 people, including children, rescued from the debris were injured – some of them seriously.
Some residents were wailing from under the rubble, as rescue operation continued, more than 10 hours after the four-storey building collapsed.
Neighbours said house No 6, Mogaji Close, Idumota, went down during the rain, which began at about 8.00p.m.
The building was said to have been erected about 10 years ago. It is joined by a fragile platform to the next house, No 4, where the landlord's wife, who died in the incident, was said to have had a plastic shop.
A trapped woman was crying: E jo, e tete gbe wa, o tin re mi (Please, get us out of here quickly, I'm getting tired ... We are many here.) Her voice was faint.
The whereabouts of the landlord, identified simply as Eletuwashe of Lagos (a.ka. Tao Let), was unknown.
Rescuers comprised neighbours, the Nigerian Red Cross, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Physical Development Authority (LASPHYDA), Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASEMBUS) and many others.
A resident, Mr. Adeogun, who was said to have travelled overseas, was lucky. His wife, Iya Risi, and his two sons were rescued alive with their mother, the residents said.
Another resident, Mr. Tajudeen, popularly called Coach, leader of the Community Development Association (CDA), Idumota was getting set for a good night sleep with members of his family when he was suddenly hit by one of the falling pillars.
His wife, a witness said, suffered broken bones while she was being pulled out. She is in a coma. 'Coach', who was dragged out of the building around midnight, was injured. He is admitted at a private hospital.
A new couple, Mr and Mrs Taofik, moved into the house on the fateful day. They died.
Their remains were pulled out last night.
Another resident, Mr. Oluwa, was trapped under the ruins with two of his children – a boy and a girl. Rescuers pull the boy out but the girl died.
Another woman, Mama Ahmed, who neighbours described as a very helpful and pleasant, was under the debris with her husband and four children. She died at the time she was being rescued but her husband and the children survived.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Mr. Toyin Ayinde said: "We got the information as early as 7.30-8.00am yesterday, and we immediately deployed our men from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and LASPHYDA, to the scene. The building is not under construction. It is an old building. And it is one of those listed as decrepit and the owner had been advised to vacate the building because it was identified as unsuitable for habitation. The standard rule for now is that the owner of any collapsed structure forfeits such properties to the government.
Lagos Police spokesman Sam Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent, said policemen were deployed immediately they received the distress call to join the rescue efforts and ensure that looters did not take advantage of the situation to carry out criminal activities.
The building, it was learnt was built about 10 years ago, by a property developer, one Chief Taofeek Eletu.
Residents said the sudden collapse of the building indicated that substandard materials might have been used for its construction.
Businesses and vehicular movement were stalled in the area as a result of the incident.
A survivor, Oliver Nzubeikeja, who is a trader, said he was in his room with his sister when the house collapsed.
"The building collapsed on us. We were trapped until the youths rescued us. We were on the third floor," he said.
As he spoke, a woman simply identified as Mama Lad, was brought out of the rubble dead.
An eyewitness, Ahamed Taofik, told The Nation that rescue operation started immediately after the house collapsed and that before morning, five dead bodies had been recovered.
Another survivor, Stephen Egede, a commercial bus driver, said the grace of God saved him.
According to him, he had just entered the bathroom to take a shower when he noticed that the building was shaking.
"My brother, I abandoned what I was doing and jumped out of the house. It was God that saved me. I do not know how to thank Him. My wife and my two-month old daughter also escaped unhurt" Egede said.
The Nigeria society of Civil Engineers need to set up a monitoring committe that will b working with the Government agencies to enforce laws and orders on our builders.How can a house built wiv the required materials as it was specified in both Architectural & Structural drawings jst went down like that? and enough work have to b done on the path of our Engineers too.
Source:
Nation
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