Nine-month-old baby dies in Lagos building collapse

A nine-month-old baby died while three others sustained injuries after a three-storey building collapsed on Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the building, located on 353 Agege Motor Road, Challenge Bus Stop, collapsed around 3pm on Tuesday. The baby’s parents were among the injured.

According to rescue officials, most of the occupants of the residential building were not at home when the incident occurred.

The building was said to have been built as a conventional apartment but two stories were added to it which weakened its foundation.

A police source at the scene said, “The building was built like ‘Face me I face you’ (single rooms apartment) behind a four-storey building in the same compound but the landlord added two floors which weakened its foundation.

“The building came crashing around 3pm and we all rushed there to rescue people. Three people were saved and have been taken to the hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, a baby of about nine months was found buried under the rubble.”

It was learnt that sympathisers were able to salvage some properties even before the arrival of the rescue officials.

The incident expectedly worsened the usual heavy traffic in the area.

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Razaq Fadipe, told our correspondent that rescue efforts had ended.

He said, “We received a distress call at our station at Isolo that there was a building collapse and we rushed down to the scene. Three people were rushed to hospital while a baby of about nine months was found dead.

“Rescue operations continued until no other person was found under the rubble.”

It was learnt that state officials had sealed off and marked the building next to the collapsed one for demolition.

According to state officials at the scene, the building had earlier been identified as a distressed. He said that some of its occupants had vacated while some ignored the warning and stayed behind.

When contacted on the telephone, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, said, “The incident occurred during the rain. The Divisional Police Officer, Mushin, received a distress call and mobilised his men to the scene.

“Four people were rescued, including a baby but on getting to the hospital, the baby gave up the ghost.”