It was a sad scene on Thursday in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos as no fewer than 10 people were trapped in a two-storey building that collapsed while under construction on Alonge Street.



According to a resident of the area, Oscar Joshua, the building collapses around 11.30am. Oscar, who is also the Organising Secretary, Oworonshoki Youth Association, said the building used to be a bungalow but was being reconstructed at the time of the incident.
“The building collapsed around 11.30am. Ten people were working at the building when it collapsed. The house used to be an unoccupied bungalow, but about seven months ago, labourers started working on it.
“The bungalow was being upgraded and was to be converted to a two-story building. Luckily for the victims, the building is located near the Oworonshoki Police Station, so we were able to rally around and we called emergency officials who immediately rushed down to the scene.”
Although they were later rescued, but not without sustaining varying degrees of injury. A source told Punch that among the injured were three children, Moses Atoketi 15; Jimoh Adebiyi 13; and Monday Ahungbe 12; and seven other casual workers in the building.

It was learnt that officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the state fire service and the police were able to bring out the victims alive.

The spokesperson, NEMA, South-West Zone, Ibrahim Farinloye; said:
“The children, who sustained minor injuries are being attended to at Folabi Medical Centre, while two adults have been taken to the Gbagada General Hospital. All the others were rescued alive.”

However, some residents say they believed one person was still trapped under the rubble. “The foreman said 10 people were trapped under the rubble but nine people have been rescued. We were told that one person was still trapped inside. We called the person’s phone but it rang out. Later, the telephone stopped ringing,” a resident said.
Is it possible that one person is still trapped under the building? NEMA say they don't think so.