Lagos probes building collapse, evacuates victims

Governor Babajide Sanwoolu

By Favour and Akinola Ajibade

The Lagos State Government has commenced investigation  into the collapse of a seven-storey building under  construction in Banana Island area of the state, with a view to ascertain the cause of incident.

It's Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, has directed that construction should be on hold in order to enable  government carries out throughou investigations in the area.

This happens, despite the fact there was no recorded cases of death, as  at Wednesday this week, except mild injuries sustained by twenty-five people rescued by officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). 

The victims, according to a statement signed by the state"s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, have been taken to  General and Police Hospitals in Odan, Lagos Island and Falomo respectively, 

In a statement signed by the State's Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, there was no evidence of  anybody trapped in the rubble, which was scanned with a high-precision 3-D Laser Imagery System for Life. Coupled with this was a roll call which is errors-free and  made by the site supervisors. 

The government said:" Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has continued with the excavation of the site, using the architectural designs. The site has been divided into quadrants for a painstaking search and rescue operation.Presently, quadrants 2 and 3 have been levelled to ground zero, with the search operation completed. Quadrants 1 and 4 are ongoing".

Also,  the Commissioner, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Bamgbose-Martins and his Adviser on Special Duties,  Mobolaji Ogunlende, probing into the building collapse is free of hitches. The duo coordinate the search operation. 

Also, the LASEMA's Permanent Secretary Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who also joined them in the search and rescue missions, said that there was no operational efficiency.

Speaking in the same vein, the Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, said that there was no problems, after visiting the site and the hospitals where the victims of building collape were  admitted..

Findings show that  sisteen out twenty five people rescued by LASEMA  injuries, while nine, who have bruises have been treated and discharged at the by Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).

Of the 16 persons on admission, it was gathered that 11 have been  taken to Police Hospital Falomo. Eight of the 11 persons have been treated and discharged. Some are required to come for daily follow-up and management. Three with various injuries, including blunt traumatic chest injury, knee injuries, deep lacerations and others, are on admission.

At the General Hospital Odan, Lagos Island, there are five patients with more serious injuries.
The State Government, as a matter of policy, will be responsible for the emergency treatment and care, including the medical bills of the patients on admission, It will also provide a post-trauma counselling support and care for all victims through the Lagos MiND programme (Mental Health in Development) -  a free mental health counselling and support service provided by the Ministry of Health. 

Preliminary investigations have shown that the incident occurred during concrete casting. Eyewitnesses said one of the concrete mixer trucks rammed into some load-bearing columns of the building, causing a loud bang and leading to the collapse.

The building was hitherto sealed by the Lagos State Government for not having the approval to commence construction, but the developers continued to build, hiding under the security of their estate/gated community.