Four people, including a nine-day-old baby, were feared dead and others still trapped late on Wednesday when a two-storey building on 6 Okepopo Street on Lagos Island collapsed.
The Senior Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Hakeem Bello, who confirmed the incident, told our correspodent that officials of the state Emergency Service, Fire Service and security agencies were immediately drafted to the scene.
Although he did not give the number of casualties, a source close to the neighborhood put it at four.
As at press time, no immediate cause was given for the collapse, but it was gathered that it might have been associated with poor building structure.
The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Francisco Abosede, said that the building was old.
Abosede, who did not rule out several more casualties, said he got the information about the incident about 5pm and immediately directed workers clearing the debris at the burnt Tejuosho Market to move to the site for rescue operation.
He said that there was the need for the recertification of the structural integrity of all existing buildings in the state.
Three persons were killed on December 24, 2007 when a three-storey building was gutted and later collapsed on Aroloya Street, Lagos Island.