Not less than four adult males feared dead and five others rescued alive over the weekend when a four-storey building collapsed at 4 Alayaki Lane, Lagos Island.
Preliminary report on Saturday had earlier stated that two lives were lost while two rescued alive.
But the latest update indicated that the collapsed building had already been taken down to ground zero.
According to the Head, Public Affairs, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr Nosa Okunbor, “After several hours of intense overnight search and rescue operation coordinated by the PS LASEMA, Dr. Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyintolu and combined efforts of three LASEMA Response Teams from Lekki, Cappa and the Alausa Command Control Center (C3), a total of five adult males were rescued (alive) and taken to nearest hospitals for further treatment.
“However, four adult males were recovered (dead), bagged and handed over to officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU to be processed further after being deposited at the mortuary.
“Remains of the self-collapsed four floor building was then taken down to ground zero by the Agency with the use of it’s heavy duty equipment-the Excavator, thereby eliminating any further threat to lives and all other proximal properties.
“Other primary responders present includes the LASAMBUS, LASG Fire Sevice, LABCA, SEHMU, Federal Fire Service, NEMA, Red Cross, LNSC and NPF.”
LASEMA GM, Oke-Osanyintolu had earlier said on Saturday that the building, “was already in violation of building safety protocols. It was discovered that the building had been captured by the LASBCA District Office and served with all Statutory Notices, Sealed at District and Central Enforcement Level.
“Further investigation determined that the developer had continued clandestine operations mostly at night and at the weekends.”