•Site of the collapsed building and a dog
The death toll on today’s building collapse at Ebute Meta, Lagos State, has increased to three with the recovery of the body of a 12-year-old boy.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the figure to newsmen in Lagos.
Earlier, it was gathered that the bodies of two adults – a male and a female – were recovered from the rubble of the two-storey building, reports NAN.
Farinloye had said that the building collapsed this morning on Herbert Marculley Way, Ebute Meta.
He said that the Lagos Building Control Agency had issued evacuation notices several times on the building and all the original occupants packed out.
“It was alleged that the property had been sold out about four months ago.
“Three of the occupants jumped to safety with the assistance of the residents,” Farinloye said.
He added that search and rescue operations were ongoing.
“According to accounts of residents, before the collapse, a dog, which the people in the collapsed building had been taking care of, got to the building and started barking in a sorrowful manner and refused to eat or enter the building.
“No sooner had the dog left, than the building came down,” Farinloye said.
