Police officer, two others killed as building collapses in Lagos

A Police Constable and two children were on Saturday killed while about 10 other persons sustained injuries after two buildings collapsed in Lagos.

The incident occurred at Freeman Street, Lagos Island around 2am.

Witnesses said a defective three-storey building was the first to cave-in, adding that it collapsed on a family sleeping inside a nearby bungalow killing a seven-year-old boy, Abdulsalam Balogun.

While some of the occupants including a pregnant woman were rescued before emergency workers arrived the scene, it was gathered that the unnamed Policewoman and a three-year-old boy identified as Paul were later brought out dead.

The policewoman, witnesses said, was found trapped near the exit of the building as she was apparently trying to escape when she got crushed by the structure.

According to residents, victims of the collapsed building recently moved into the neighbourhood as previous tenants were evicted on grounds that repairs were to be undertaken only for the new occupants to be brought in as renovation was ongoing.

Rescuers from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Police, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Fire Service, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency, were at the scene.

Director General (DG) LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed three bodies were recovered dead and nine others rescued.

He said his men arrived the scene around 4:05am and discovered the three-storey building totally collapsed on people sleeping
“Nine victims have been extricated from the rubble alive while three bodies were recovered. Their remains were transported to the mortuary by SEHMU while pre hospital care has been administered to the rescued victims by LASEMA and LASAMBUS.