Fear were still mounting over the fate of dozens of nursery school pupils trapped in the rubble of a 3-storey building that collapsed at about 10 a.m. at Ita-Faji of Lagos Island.
Baden School, a private nursery school, is on the second floor of the building at 10 Dagara Street, Ita-faji, where efforts are still on to rescue victims.
According to a top police source at the scene, 50 pupils and eight tenants have been rescued.
The police source confirmed that some pupils have died, but they were unsure of the casualty figures.
However, a witness said that at least 5 pupils had died while many were brought back to life with the aid of oxygen provided by Lagos State government.
Lagos State police spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana James told newsmen that rescue efforts were ongoing.
Those at the scene of the rescue operation included the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) operations in Lagos, DCP Ali Mohammed; the Area Commander, ACP Olubode Ojajuni; RRS Commander, ACP Tunji Disu, all Divisional Police Officers on Lagos Island, officials of LASEMA, Fire Service, Civil Defense Corps, the Local Government Chairman, and representatives of other agencies.
According to a witness, Abdulazeez Elegushi, “A quit notice was given to the owner of the building by the government after it failed integrity test. I don’t know why they refused to obey the government’s order. Look at now over a hundred are still trapped inside. This will not have happened if they had adhered to government instruction.”
Another resident said the building was 30 years old and the owner refused to renovate or upgrade the building.
