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LAGOS, Nigeria - Three more individuals from the ill-fated three-storey building that collapsed in Ojodu Berger have been confirmed dead, bringing the total death toll to five.
Reports indicate that the three deceased were among the 15 who were previously rescued from the rubble by the emergency response team, which includes the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its Lagos State counterpart, LASEMA.
The identities of the deceased have yet to be verified, but an assessment of the rescued occupants from the building that housed the popular restaurant, Equal Right, revealed that three were female and two were adult males.
The structure located at 9 Oremeta Street, Ojodu, had part of it completed and leased for commercial activities, including the restaurant that operated there.
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The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, reported the figures on Sunday, shortly after search and rescue efforts began around 16 hours ago, stating that the bodies have been transferred to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU).
Oke-Osanyintolu also mentioned that safety measures have been put in place, with the entire area cordoned off to facilitate secure operations and the swift recovery of victims.
To expedite the process, he noted that heavy equipment, including excavators and payloaders, has been sent to the site.
