Collapsed Lagos building: Death toll now four

Three days after a three-storey building under construction collapsed in Isolo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, another body has been recovered from the rubble,

raising the body count to four, with 19 injured—all male. Confirming the recovery to Vanguard, LASEMA General Manager, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, noted that the body was recovered during the post-disaster clearing of the collapsed building site at 4, Richard Abimbola Street, Ilasamaja. According to him, “although the body is yet to be identified, it has been handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU, for deposition at Mainland Hospital Mortuary, Lagos Mainland Local Government.” …on prosecution Meanwhile, the state govern-ment has concluded plans to prosecute the developers for allegedly ignoring a ‘stop work’ order placed on the building. Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose, said government has commenced investigation and will not hesitate to prosecute anyone that violates the relevant laws. Anifowose said the building in question had earlier being disapproved by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, but that the developers illegally broke the seal and continued with the work. He explained that officers in charge of the area had, two weeks before the collapse, disapproved the development because it was being built contrary to building regulations. His words: “The building had been sealed off on account of the evidence that the materials found on site were substandard, aside the fact that the developers had no development permit to embark on the construction. “This particular building had been monitored and sealed off. Our officers came back to monitor for compliance, but were prevented by hoodlums from carrying out their duties. “On the day it collapsed, our officials were there again, but were chased away. They came to the office to reinforce when this tragedy happened.”