From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
One person reportedly died and three others injured in an elevator accident at the popular Cocoa House in Dugbe, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses said some technicians were in the process of repairing the faulty elevator when the accident occurred. It is one of the two elevators at the 25-storey Cocoa House.
The building houses the headquarters of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, the Ibadan offices of the African Independent Television (AIT), and a private radio station, 32 FM, as well as other companies.
The Head, Corporate Affairs, Odu’a Investment company Limited, Mr Victor Ayetoro, who confirmed the incident, reported that ‘at 11 am this morning (Wednesday), the lift installation team from our contractor handling the lift and who were working on dismantling the old lift in readiness for a new lift instalment while working on the lift suffered a mechanical failure.
‘The said failure resulted in the lift car dropping and crashing into the basement pit. Unfortunately, one of the technicians in the team did not survive the incident.
‘Three other technicians suffered minor injuries and have been taken to the hospital for check-up/ treatment.
‘The head office of the company has been informed and their representatives have arrived to take charge of the situation, while the police have also been informed.’
