* Army, Air Force join in rescue operation
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed the collapse of a 21-storey building under construction at Ikoyi.
The Director General (DG) of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said emergency response plan has been activated and first responders deployed.
“The agency has activated its emergency response plan to the above incident. All first responders are en route to secure the scene while the heavy-duty equipment and life detection equipment have been dispatched,” he said.
Several artisans are feared trapped in the building which caved in around 3pm along Gerrard Road, Ikoyi.
The owner of the property was alleged to be among those feared trapped with three of his children, but that could not be verified.
A victim being stretchered out of the site
Possible cause of collapse and number of persons trapped are yet to be ascertained.
At the time of this report, about two bodies were said to have been recovered from the rubble, while the other two were critically injured. All four were taken away by medical emergency personnel.
Meanwhile, the Disaster Response Unit of the Nigeria Army and Air Force have also been deployed to assist in the rescue operation.