UPDATED: 38 Confirmed Dead, 9 Others Rescued in 21-Storey Building Collapses in Ikoyi

UPDATED: 38 Confirmed Dead, 9 Others Rescued in 21-Storey Building Collapses in Ikoyi

  • A 21-storey building located in the Ikoyi area of Lagos state has collapsed trapping many residents of the area
  • The building collapse was confirmed by the acting coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
  • Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed that the collapsed building is located on Gerrard Road around the Ikoyi area

Thirty-eight persons have been confirmed dead following the collapse of a 21-storey building in the Ikoyi area of Lagos on Monday, November 1.

Nine other victims of the incident have also been rescued alive and are receiving treatment at different hospitals in Lagos.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed that the incident occurred at a building located at Gerrard Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

Residents around the building said to be under construction were scampering for safety to stay safe from the incident

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The acting coordinator of the NEMA southwest, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the agency is doing everything possible to ensure that victims of the incident are rescued as soon as possible.

Ikoyi building collapse
The collapsed building is located on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi area of Lagos. Photo: Bashir Ibrahim Idris
Source: Facebook

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According to Farinloye, two additional male bodies were recovered on Thursday, November 4, bringing the number of those who died from the incident to 38.

Farinloye said the recovered bodies are 35 males and three females while nine others were rescued alive.

A video clip shared by Vanguard Newspaper shows many residents in the area running helter-skelter towards the collapsed building.

While details of the collapse are still sketchy, it is unclear how many people might be trapped in the debris of the collapsed building at the time of this report.

4.17 PM: Farinloye has just confirmed that two people have been rescued alive from the collapsed building.

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He also said that efforts are been put in place as NEMA officials alongside other officials in the state are mobilising resources to ensure that those trapped in the rubble are rescued in due time

Ikoyi Building collapse
NEMA officials are currently on the ground and mobilising resources to ensure the rescue of those trapped in the debris of the collapsed building. Photo: Ibrahim Farinloye
Source: UGC

4.31 PM: The NEMA official also confirms that the building is a multipurpose one.

5.01: One person has been confirmed dead in the incident that occurred in Gerrard Road, Ikoyi Lagos state.

The body of the yet to be identified victim was said to have been recovered by officials at the scene of the building collapse, Farinloye said.

5.10 PM: Farinloye said the Federal Government is deploying various agencies' units to assist in the rescue operation.

5.31 PM: NEMA confirms another body has been recovered bringing the total of that confirmed dead to three and those rescued to three also.

He said:

"We are deploying Disaster Response Unit of the Nigeria Army and Airforce to assist in the rescue operation."

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6.27 PM: Farinloye said one mire person has been reduced from the rubble of the collapsed building.

He said:

"Four rescued alive and four dead bodies recovered."

11.45 PM: Another person trapped in the collapsed Gerrard Road, Ikoyi building has been rescued alive, NEMA official, Farinloye has confirmed.

This brings the number of those rescued so far to five persons while four others have been confined dead even as heavy rain continues to fall in the area.

Tuesday, November 2

As of Tuesday, November 2, five people have been rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building in the Ikoyi area of Lagos state.

NEMA officials alongside personnel from various agencies across the state are present at the scene of the incident for rescue operations.

7.21 AM: Farinloye, the acting coordinator of NEMA southwest said heavy equipment is stationed at the scene and 'serious' evacuation work is ongoing currently.

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He said:

"After a 2-hour rest for the responder, all heavy equipment have started serious works.We are very hopeful of rescuing more people."
Gerrard Ikoyi building collapse
Responders are at the scene of the Gerrard Road, Ikoyi building collapse to rescue victims. Photo: Farinloye, NEMA
Source: UGC

9.57 AM: Two bodies have been recovered as efforts are been made by the rescue team to ensure everyone is safe.

10.53 AM: Two victims of the building collapse have been rescued alive, Farinloye has said.

12.04 PM: Farinloye confirms that the official figure of victims rescued or recovered from the scene of the incident stands at nine alive 10 dead.

He added that the state government had given approval for the building construction but work was suspended for four months.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor of Lagos state, Kadri Hamza, was at the scene of the incident today, Tuesday, November 2.

Hamzat after his visit where he comforted relations of those trapped in the rubble left the site for the Lagos Island General Hospital to see the survivors.

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A statement by Gbenga Omotoso, the commissioner for information for Lagos state said the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu thanks all first responders and those who have joined the rescue efforts, including construction giants Julius Berger, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and NEMA.

Omotoso said a help desk is to be set up at the site for people seeking information about their relations who may have been involved in the incident.

He said:

"The government will embark on further foundation and borehole acidic level tests to ascertain the impact on the collapsed building. These tests, particularly the borehole acidic level, is important for the entire Gerrard Road and adjoining areas.

1.16 PM: Five additional bodies have been recovered from the debris of the building collapse, bringing the official number of recovered bodies and rescued victims to 15 dead and 9 persons rescued alive.

Ikoyi Gerrard Building
Officials at the scene of the building collapse on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Photo: Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA
Source: UGC

4.12 PM: Farinloye said:

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"A lady's body just recovered dead who was said to be the personal assistant to the owner of the building."

4.16 PM: He added that one body has been sighted but is yet to be recovered from the debris.

4.35 PM: Farinloye said:

"The last man has been recovered to make the fifteen (15), additional bodies have been located and efforts are on to recover them."

4.42 PM: Two more bodies have been rescued, bringing the confirmed numbers to 17 dead and nine rescued alive.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a similar incident occurred around the Ikorodu area of Lagos on Monday, October 18.

Ibrahim had confirmed that the building located at No 97 Lagos Road Haruna in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state collapsed.

One person, a 25-year-old male who was identified as Joseph Ilesa died as a result of the incident while two other people who were injured were receiving treatment in a hospital in Lagos.

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He also said that the building which collapsed at about 10 pm on Monday night was long abandoned by its owner before the incident.

In another incident, Legit.ng had made a list of the collapsed federal government-owned roads across states in Nigeria.

Some of these roads, the report said are in a quite deplorable state hampering movement of motorists and other users across the country.

These roads include; the Enugu-Onitsha, Onitsha Owerri, Aba-Owerri, Owerri-Umuahia, Enugu-Abakaliki, Oba-Nnewi-Okigwe.

It was gathered that the conditions of the roads have made transportation from Enugu to Onitsha which, in the good old days, used to take less than one hour now takes about six hours.

The same misfortune goes for Enugu-Aba and Onitsha-Owerri.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nnenna Ibeh avatar

Nnenna Ibeh Nnenna Ibeh is a journalist with over 10 years of experience with various media organisations including Premium Times. Being on the front burner of reporting politics and the different dimensions of governance, she is also passionate about girls' education and women's and children's health. With degrees in Journalism, Peace Studies & Conflict Res., and Dev. Studies, Nnenna has worked in the dev. sector as a communications officer for the Centre for Democracy and Dev. email: ibehnnenna@gmail.com