The death toll from a collapsed building that occurred on Sunday, May 1, in Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos State, has increased to eight people.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) issued a statement confirming the development on Monday, May 2.
“Two male additional bodies recovered, making eight deaths,” the acting coordinator, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, said.
The recovered bodies were placed in some of the emergency vehicles that had been transported to the scene of the accident, The Witness reports.
The bodies were then transported to the mortuary.
When the three-story structure caved in late Sunday, NEMA authorities, along with other emergency response organizations such as the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, and the police, launched a search and rescue effort.
A total of 23 people, including children, were reportedly retrieved alive.
The residents were claimed to be in their separate apartments when the building suddenly collapsed, trapping some of them.
The collapsed building had been slated for demolition, according to Farinloye, who had earlier confirmed the death of five people.
He stated that, “Another three-storey building, on Lagos Street, about 200 metres away from the current scene has shown signs of distress with part throwing pebbles and falling off.
“The building had also been marked as distressed but the occupants were deviant.
However, the building has re-sealed and occupants evacuated by officers of Lagos State Buildings Control Agency.
“We have recorded the death of four including two males and two females. 23 people have been rescued alive including seven children and 16 adults. Another young man, Tahin, has just been recovered, taking the number of dead bodies to five.”
Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, said in a statement late Sunday that some of the injured patients were transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for immediate treatment.
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