Henry Okonkwo

No fewer than six persons were feared dead and scores injured yesterday after a storey building collapsed in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Panic reportedly broke out as the building situated on 9, Abeje Street, Morikaz Road, came falling down in the busy locale.
Sunday Sun gathered that the building had been marked “distressed” by the state government officials before it finally caved in yesterday.
Aside from the deceased, those who were injured were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja, for treatment by the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS.
At the scene, emergency officials, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, were sighted combing different parts of the building to rescue victims that could be trapped in the rumble.
Although eyewitnesses put the death toll at the six, LASEMA in their statement confirmed two deaths.
“The Agency received a distress call via the emergency toll-free number at about 10:48 a.m, concerning a building at No. 9 Abeje Street Morikaz, Agege. This ease up the rapid activation of the Agency’s Response Team to the scene of the incident,” said LASEMA General Manager, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu.
According to Mr Tiamiyu, investigation carried out by the LASEMA Response Team at the scene of the incident revealed that a distressed storey building suffered partial collapse at the backside.
“Unfortunately, two persons (female adult, Toyin Ogundimu, 35 years and a young girl, Sherifat Olalere, 11yrs) lost their lives to the incident and one male adult (Mustapher Salaudeen) was rescued and treated at the incident by the ambulance crew.
“The LASEMA Response Team, NPF (Dopemu and Agege division), Lagos State Building Control Agency LASBCA, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps LNSC, Taskforce, LASG Fire Service (Agege division) and LASAMBUS were the responders at the scene.
Tiamiyu after ensuring the immediate evacuation of other occupants of the building, however,  advised Lagosians not to ignore wreckage and cracks they notice in their buildings.
He urged residents never to hesitate in calling the emergency toll-free line 112/767 to report on time to forestall tragic incidents that could lead to avoidable deaths.