Ikoyi collapsed building: 14 confirmed dead, 9 rescued alive, as Lagos Govt suspends building agency boss ‘indefinitely’

14 people have been confirmed dead, while 9 were rescued alive from the rubble of the 21-storey building which collapsed, Monday afternoon, in the Gerard Road area of Ikoyi, of the state.

All the 9 rescued alive were male.

This is also as the State Government announced the ‘immediate and indefinite’ suspension of the General manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki over his role in the events leading to the accident.

A statement, issued by the state  Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso,Tuesday, also announced the setting up of an independent panel to probe the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, as it further informed that members of the panel will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and other professional bodies.

According to the commissioner the panel will investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrence.

“The Lagos State Government is setting up an independent panel to probe the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Members of the panel will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and other professional bodies.

“It will independently investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrence. The investigation is not part of the internal probe already being conducted by the government.

“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the government will surely find out what went wrong and punish those indicted.  The Governor, as a first step, has directed that the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki, an architect, be suspended from work immediately. The suspension is indefinite.

“More equipment and personnel have been deployed in the site to save more lives.

“Nine persons – all men – have been pulled out of the rubble alive. They have been taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, 14 others were brought out dead – as at 2pm.

“Mr. Sanwo-Olu thanks all first responders and those who have joined the rescue efforts, including construction giants Julius Berger, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“A help desk is to be set up at the site for people seeking information about their relations who may have been involved in the incident. The media are hereby notified that the government will be releasing information whenever the need arises to avoid any sensational reporting of the unfortunate incident.

“The government will embark on further foundation and borehole acidic level tests to ascertain the impact on the collapsed building. These tests, particularly the borehole acidic level, is important for the entire Gerrard Road and adjoining areas.

“We wish to state that there will be no cover-up in the search for the truth in this incident. If anybody is found to have been indicted, he or she will face the law.

It is important to restate that all developers and property owners are required to adhere strictly to all Building Codes and Planning Regulations to ensure the safety of lives and property.  Those who ignore such regulations, breaking seals and defying enforcement, will surely be prosecuted,” read the statement.

The state commissioner also informed that Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, was again at the site on Tuesday ‘to encourage rescuers and comfort relations of those trapped in the rubble. Dr. Hamzat left the site for the Lagos Island General Hospital to see the survivors.’

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has directed mobilisation of emergency response for rescue operations at the site of the 21-storey building which collapsed in Lagos.

 Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Team from the Lagos Territorial Office to assist with the rescue operations at the site.

“This is tragic. I sympathise with the Lagos State Government and families of people still trapped inside the rubble.

“We have mobilised immediate rescue operations through the NEMA Team from the Lagos Territorial Office to team up with the state SEMA.

“NEMA has also facilitated mobilisation of response involving heavy duty equipment for rescue operations and security for crowd control.

“We pray that through the rescue operatives still on ground at the site, many of those trapped will be rescued”.

Many are still feared trapped in the rubble of the collapsed 21 storey building that has left at least three people dead.

Five survivors have been found so far while dozens are feared to be trapped in the ruins of the building under construction when it collapsed in the Ikoyi area of Lagos on Monday late afternoon.

The cause of the collapse and exactly how many people are trapped under the rubble remains unclear.

The building, located on Gerard Road in Ikoyi, is a construction site for luxury apartments.

Eyewitnesses say construction workers were waiting for an excavator to arrive at the site when the building came down.