By David Ibemere and Ekene Ezeonyejiaku
Many feared dead following collapse of a four- storey building in Idumota, Lagos Island
HE wept inconsolably, tears streaming down his face. “My wife and children are still inside.
The corpses so far recovered had been taken to the Lagos Island Hospital mortuary while the rescued persons were taken to various hospitals for treatment.
According to an eyewitness, who only identified himself as Jimoh, the building collapsed about 11.30p.m.
When The Guardian went to the scene, officials of the Lagos Fire and Safety Services, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Ambulance Service and youths of the area were still busy with the rescue operation.
A resident Mama Rukayat praised the youths for their efforts in rescuing occupants in the building.
Since it was at night, many people were not aware safe for the leaving, beside the building, they rose alarmed and immediately the youths were in the scene.
A resident , John Obi blamed the collapse of the building on the property developer. “The building was one storey building for many years until recently when three more were added.
“Since last year, we the residents complained over the way the building was constructed but the developer was too greedy.’
“The owners used inferior materials in the construction of the additional floors just to make more money for themselves.”
Because of the disaster, most shops leading to the streets were shut.
Tears streaming down her eyes, a woman cried: “People are really wicked. Why would somebody put other people’s lives in grave danger for the love of money?
“Many buildings in this area are in a very bad shape, but because of money, people still reside in them.”
Rescue efforts were hampered by the narrowness of the streets in the area as a result of which caterpillars could not be moved in.
One of the survivors, Kelechi Onyekachukwu, ascribed his escape to the mercy of God.
He said he was in the bathroom when he noticed that the building was sinking and blocks falling were falling off, saw a space and bolted out almost naked.
The incident yesterday is only the latest in the litany of collapsed buildings, which yet again, claimed lives.
In the last four years, from May 2007 to date, about 60 cases of collapsed buildings ranging from six- storey, to basement levels were recorded with about 85 lives lost.
The Lagos State Building Control Agency once disclosed that close to 90 per cent of all buildings in Lagos ignored building rules, lacked planning concept and were built on unapproved sites.
Experts say that building collapse is essentially due to weak foundations, structural inadequacy, poor construction, illegal or non-engineered renovations, while several factors, including greed, incompetence and corruption, are at the root of the recurrence of the problem.
It is estimated that only 30 percent of houses in Lagos have approved building plans, while building materials such as blocks are not made in accordance with specifications.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53671:another-bricks-to-rubble-in-lagos&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558
Many feared dead following collapse of a four- storey building in Idumota, Lagos Island
HE wept inconsolably, tears streaming down his face. “My wife and children are still inside.“ Oh my God, what am I going to do?,” he cried, as neighbours and friends tried to console him.
He managed to say he went out of the house to buy food only to come back and see that the house they lived in, had collapsed.
The weeping, distraught man was one of the lucky survivors in another incident of a building collapse, this time on Tuesday, at 4, Mogaji Lane, Idumota, Lagos Island, Lagos.
By yesterday evening, six people had been confirmed dead, 33 others injured but rescued while it was feared that many were still trapped under the rubble.The corpses so far recovered had been taken to the Lagos Island Hospital mortuary while the rescued persons were taken to various hospitals for treatment.
According to an eyewitness, who only identified himself as Jimoh, the building collapsed about 11.30p.m.
When The Guardian went to the scene, officials of the Lagos Fire and Safety Services, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Ambulance Service and youths of the area were still busy with the rescue operation.
A resident Mama Rukayat praised the youths for their efforts in rescuing occupants in the building.
Since it was at night, many people were not aware safe for the leaving, beside the building, they rose alarmed and immediately the youths were in the scene.
A resident , John Obi blamed the collapse of the building on the property developer. “The building was one storey building for many years until recently when three more were added.
“Since last year, we the residents complained over the way the building was constructed but the developer was too greedy.’
“The owners used inferior materials in the construction of the additional floors just to make more money for themselves.”
Because of the disaster, most shops leading to the streets were shut.
Tears streaming down her eyes, a woman cried: “People are really wicked. Why would somebody put other people’s lives in grave danger for the love of money?
“Many buildings in this area are in a very bad shape, but because of money, people still reside in them.”
Rescue efforts were hampered by the narrowness of the streets in the area as a result of which caterpillars could not be moved in.
One of the survivors, Kelechi Onyekachukwu, ascribed his escape to the mercy of God.
He said he was in the bathroom when he noticed that the building was sinking and blocks falling were falling off, saw a space and bolted out almost naked.
The incident yesterday is only the latest in the litany of collapsed buildings, which yet again, claimed lives.
In the last four years, from May 2007 to date, about 60 cases of collapsed buildings ranging from six- storey, to basement levels were recorded with about 85 lives lost.
The Lagos State Building Control Agency once disclosed that close to 90 per cent of all buildings in Lagos ignored building rules, lacked planning concept and were built on unapproved sites.
Experts say that building collapse is essentially due to weak foundations, structural inadequacy, poor construction, illegal or non-engineered renovations, while several factors, including greed, incompetence and corruption, are at the root of the recurrence of the problem.
It is estimated that only 30 percent of houses in Lagos have approved building plans, while building materials such as blocks are not made in accordance with specifications.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53671:another-bricks-to-rubble-in-lagos&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558
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