One dead as section of two-storey building collapses in Lagos

An elderly woman has been killed in a partial collapse of a two-storey building in Oloto street, Borno way, Ebute Metta, Lagos state.

The incident occured on Thursday morning.

Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, permanent secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), confirmed the incident.

“The agency responded to distress calls concerning the above and upon arrival discovered a storey building in a state of partial collapse,” he said.

“Further information gathered at the incident scene revealed that an internal suspended beam in a room collapsed at about 7:45 am due to the ageing and lack of maintenance of the structure.

“Unfortunately, an old woman died from the impact of the partial collapse.”

Ibrahim Farinloye, Lagos territorial coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said the building had shown signs of distress before it collapsed.

He said two families were fortunate to have escaped from the building shortly before the incident occurred at about 7.45am.

“It was reported that the two storey building located at No 34, Oloto Street, off Borno way, Ebute Metta, Lagos Mainland Local Government Area with GPS coordinates: N6°28’42.09 – E3°23’11.09 had been showing signs of distressed earlier,” Farinloye said.

“In order to prevent further threats to the residents of the neighbourhood, the officials of Lagos State Building Control Agency has commenced immediate and tactical demolitions of the remaining parts of the building.”

In September, a building with over 500 rooms collapsed in Ketu area of the state, injuring two residents.

The building, initially built as a school but converted to a residential apartment, partially collapsed during a heavy rainfall.