Several trapped as 21-storey building collapses in Ikoyi, Lagos (photos)

See before and after pictures

MSN ReporterNovember 1, 2021

2 minutes read

A 21-storey building under construction has come down crashing, trapping several people at Musikiu Junction by Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The incident occurred about 1.30 pm.

Men of the Federal, state Fire Services and Rescue Team and men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), are currently at the scene of the incident to salvage the lives of those trapped.

According to Director General, LASEMA Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency has activated its emergency response plan to the above incident.

“All first responders are en route to secure the scene while the heavy-duty equipment and life detection equipment have been dispatched.”

It was also gathered many construction workers and developers of the building, identified as Mr Wale Bob are among the victims trapped under the rubbles.

Two people have been rescued from the rubbles at the scene. Both, males, were rescued at about 4.15 pm.

The Acting Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), Lagos State, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed it said rescue operation was ongoing.

According to an eyewitness, a few minutes before the collapse, one side of the building’s pillars broke and made a loud noise as the whole building came down.

Also the entire area has been cordoned off to allow for seamless rescue operation and prevent possible damages, while rescue teams are battling to rescue other trapped victims from the rubbles.

Meanwhile, the cause of the collapse cannot be ascertained as of press time.

Interestingly, the building was sealed by the state government last year to “prevent calamity”.

Unfortunately, it appears the building was later unsealed and construction continued until it collapsed today, November 1, at about 1:30 pm.

In July 2020, it was reported that Sanwo-Olu had sealed the Gerard, Ikoyi high-rise.

At the time, a source was quoted as saying that the State Government took the action to seal the building in order to ensure that what happened with Lekki Gardens Estate when its on-going six-storey building collapsed on March 8, 2016 would not be witnessed again in the state.

The source said: “It is unheard of that the owners of the Ikoyi project in question would embark on such a capital intensive project without obtaining required approvals for a project as massive as that.

“Gone are the days of negligence on the part of the government when people flout the law. Sealing up the project is law taking its due course.

“The owners of this project have shown themselves to be defiant and obstinate, in that the state ministry of Land and Physical Planning had been calling on them, without (them) paying attention to what the ministry had been calling their attention to.

“It does not benefit the state to stop economically viable projects like the project on Gerrard Road in Ikoyi, but the responsibility falls on the government that all rules and regulations guiding such buildings are strictly adhered to.

“What the government has done is to halt further construction with a view to assessing and evaluating the extent to which the builders had adhered to the building code. The state will take it up from there.

“The government will not fold its arm and watch people behave recklessly without order and accountability. We are talking about people’s lives here. The state will no longer tolerate such attitude from anybody no matter how highly placed they may be.”