Thirty-one persons have now been confirmed dead in the building collapse which occurred in the Lekki area of Lagos State on Tuesday, even as rescue operations are continuing at the site of the incident.
The building, which was under construction, collapsed at Chisco Bus Stop in Lekki Phase One area of Lagos State in south western Nigeria.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Michael Akindele, told Channels Television that a total of 13 people had been rescued from the scene.
“We have been able to rescue 13 people alive till date and as I speak with you, we have recovered 31 dead bodies of which one is an infant, a male, and a woman while others are men.
“Search and rescue is still ongoing,” he said.
Mr Akindele also said that the cause of the building collapse was yet to be ascertained.
“While it came down is not the issue now. The major challenge is for us to rescue as many people as possible at this site while relevant agencies will look at the issues during investigation.
“Definitely the building have been distressed and it is on the basis that it is distressed that it collapsed,” he told reporters at the scene of the incident.
Spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), South-west zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, earlier confirmed the figures on Tuesday.
The NEMA official told Channels Television that the incident happened around 4:10am local time.
“We received an alert around 4:20am about the building collapse and immediately we mobilised resources and personnel to move in there.
“As at now, we have recovered four persons dead, six rescued alive,” he said earlier in the day.
Mr Farinloye said that the persons affected may be workers at the construction site.
Taking part in the rescue operation are Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Police and personnel of the Civil Defence.
About three excavators are also being used by NEMA in the rescue effort.