At least 10 people have been killed in the collapse of what would have been a 21-storey building. Local news reports are now putting the death toll at more than 20.
Lagos State deputy governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat spoke while monitoring the ongoing search and rescue operations being carried out by agencies of government.
The deputy governor, who was accompanied to the site by government officials, said the focus of government, for now, is to the ongoing operations to rescue people trapped in the rubble.
Hamzat revealed that “Nine people have been rescued alive and taken to the hospital while 10 dead bodies have been recovered. Out of the nine survivors, three have been discharged from the hospital while six are in stable condition and are doing well. The focus of the operation right now is to rescue those that are trapped.”
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He said that it will be difficult to ascertain the number of the trapped victims, noting that the building is still under construction and not yet occupied.
The project site had been sealed up for four months by the relevant agency because of some anomalies in the construction process, added Hamzat. He gave assurance that other adjourning buildings in the area will be subjected to structural integrity testing.
He emphasised that the state government would not relent in its efforts at ensuring that buildings under construction in Lagos are subjected to structural integrity tests to prevent collapse.
The deputy governor promised that the state government will take full responsibility for the treatment and medical bills of rescued victims of the Ikoyi building collapse.
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