The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LASEMA

  • Two feared injured as another building collapses

    Two persons were yesterday feared injured as another three-storey building collapsed on Lagos Island.

    The incident, which occurred at 50, Kakawa Street, has brought to four the number of buildings that had collapsed in the area since the March 13 disaster.

    It was gathered that the latest collapsed building had been marked for demolition for a long time, but officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) did nothing to pull it down, until it caved in yesterday afternoon.

    Those who sustained injuries, The Nation learnt, were residents of a nearby building the collapsed structure fell on. Another three-storey building situated at 47/49, Odunlami Street, behind the collapsed one, was also affected.

    At the time our correspondent visited the scene, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Adesina Tiamiyu, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) policemen, fire service officials and LABSCA officials were at the place, preparing to pull down the remains of the buildings.

    Lagos State Government yesterday urged occupants of marked distressed buildings to vacate them before the arrival of the demolition team of LASBCA.

    Read also: Photos of Lagos building collapse

    Physical Planning and Urban Development Commissioner Prince Rotimi Ogunleye made the appeal, just as a distressed three-storey building at 50, Kakawa Street, Lagos Island, collapsed.

    The government said there was no casualty.

    Ogunleye said: “The building in question had been identified as distressed by the officers of the LASBCA and all the necessary statutory notices had been duly served. It was one of the defective structures marked for demolition by the agency.

    “Fortunately, occupants had been evacuated before the incident occurred. Immediately, the Lagos State Rescue Team and LASBCA were alerted and they moved to site promptly to check all adjoining buildings so as to evacuate the occupants, to avoid any further hazards.”

    Those displaced in the ongoing demolition of defective/distressed buildings in the state will be resettled at the Igando Resettlement Camp, Commissioner for Information and Strategy Kehinde Bamigbetan said yesterday.

    The camp comprises five hostels, with 22 rooms and four double-bunk each. Each room can accommodate eight persons.

    It has a kitchen, a dining hall, a general hall for recreation, a three-ward medical facility, 10 toilets and bathrooms for each hostel, workers’ accommodation, facilities for persons living with disabilities and security post, among others.

    Speaking during a media tour of the camp, Bamigbetan said it was ready to take 500 displaced persons from today.

    Their resettlement, he said, was part of the government’s plan to mitigate the effect of the loss of their homes.

    Tiamiyu said the camp would be opened for three months in the first instance, after which the government would review the need for an extension.

    The camp, he said, would work with the Igando General Hospital on medical referrals, adding that the health team for the camp would arrive today.

  • Drama as LASEMA, LASBCA disagree on collapsed building

    Did House 57, Egerton Street in Oke Arin on Lagos Island collapse yesterday?

    Yes, it did, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said.

    But the State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) described LASEMA’s assertion as “untrue,” saying no building collapsed.

    A national newspaper quoted Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaki Musibau, as saying that the building had a partial collapse.

    LASBCA, however, insist that no such thing happened.

    Its spokesperson Mrs Titi Ajirotutu said the building had already been demolished by LASBCA.

    Mrs Ajirotutu said a scavenger was injured in the process of carting away door steel and other materials.

    LASEMA on his twitter handle said @lasemasocial said the building had been marked by LASBCA for demolition.

    The agency wrote: “The officials (LASBCA) were on top of the building when some scavengers tried to remove the doors on the ground floor and the remaining parts of the building collapsed on them.

    “The four scavengers sustained minor injuries and had been taken to the nearest hospital before the arrival of LRT (LASEMA Response Team.)

    Musibau, according to the paper, said four rescued victims have been taken to a hospital.

    “Information from our men at the scene showed that it was a partial collapse. They have removed four persons trapped in the building. They were all rescued alive. They have been taken to the hospital for treatment as I speak,” he said.

    LASBCA General Manager Mr Lekan Shodeinde in a statement last night reiterated that there was no fresh building collapse in the state as being trending on the social media today.

    Shodeinde said “a three-floor structure was marked as distressed and is undergoing demolition as at press time. The building in question is within a built-up area flanked by other adjoining structures at the rear.”

    He added that the demolition of the distressed building became necessary in order to avert another disaster.

    According to him, the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will leave no stone unturned to sanitise the building construction industry in the state by removing all the distressed, illegal structures and buildings prone to collapse as well as those that were not in conformity with the state building laws.

    The general manager appealed to Lagosians to cooperate with the State Government by moving out of all buildings marked as distressed and also stay away from demolition sites.

    Read also: Updated: Over 150 buildings marked for demolition in Lagos Island

    He, however, re-emphasised the fact that only the LASBCA has the responsibility and professional expertise to determine whether a building is distressed or prone to collapse.

    Meanwhile, Mrs Ajirotutu said additional four buildings – 2, Olushi, 3, Obadina, 30A, Isale Agbede and 36, Isale Agbede streets – were demolished yesterday.

    “The total number of buildings demolished so far in Lagos Island was 17,” she said.

    Residents of demolished houses and those marked for demolition on Lagos Island are begging the government for help.

    They want the government to resettle them so that they can begin life afresh.

    Many of them were wandering yesterday, with nowhere to go. Some gathered their belongings by the roadside; Others sold their personal effects at giveaway prices.

    The Nation learnt that some slept on the streets; others squatted with relatives and friends.

    A          victim of the Ita Faji, Lagos Island building collapse, who preferred anonymity, said: “It’s still like a movie, a dream, which I will forever live to remember. I was looking out from my window when I saw the house going down with a loud sound. The building sank and I heard shouts and cries of people. Those in the building cried out. Neighbours could not hold back their tears. Adults cried like babies. Everyone ran to the scene.”

    A resident of a demolished house, Noheem Saka, said he didn’t know where to go.

    He said: “My family and I have nowhere to go. What the government has done is right, following the recent building collapse, but we want it to provide low-cost housing for us to rent.”

    Saka said the government should continuously check houses and ensure that the foundations are strong.

    “When they come to test the buildings, government officials should not collect bribes,” he added.

    A victim, Quadri Oladapo, said his family house had been demolished.

    Said he: “I am not aware if the government has given us  quit notice. They just came suddenly last Friday and demolished our house. We all slept on the streets with our belongings. Mosquitoes bit us.

    “We are Nigerians, we are not refugees. The government should assist us.”

    Another victim, Segun Apu, said they were given notice before but they resorted to renovating the house.

    “They gave us notice again last Friday and said they would demolish it today (yesterday). Our personal effects are on the streets. We don’t know where to go. The government should help us. We have started selling the belongings we bought with our sweat at giveaway prices,” he said.

  • Four scavengers injured in Lagos building collapse

    Four scavengers were on Monday reportedly injured in another building collapse in Egerton oke Arin square, Lagos Island.

    The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency ( LASEMA ) made this known on its official Twitter handle.

    According to LASEMA, the building had been marked by LASBCA for demolition, which started on Sunday.

    Read Also: No building collapsed, says LABSCA

    LASEMA confirmed that “officials were on top of the building when some scavengers tried to remove the doors on the ground floor and the remaining parts of the building collapsed on them.”

    According to the agency (LASEMA), the four scavengers sustained minor injuries and had been taken to the nearest hospital before the arrival of LRT.

  • Photos/video: Ongoing rescue operations in Lagos school collapse

    Following the collapse of a three storey building at Ita-faji,  Lagos Island, where over 100 pupils were reportedly feared dead, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency have mobilised officials to the scene.

  • LASEMA rescues two crash victims

    The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Tuesday rescued two accident victims on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    They were reportedly trapped under two vehicles that collided at Cele bus stop.

    An over-speeding diesel-laden tanker rammed into a stationary trailer at the bus stop.

    LASEMA General Manager Adesina Tiamiyu told The Nation yesterday that the accident was avoidable.

    He said: “Motorists should always ensure that they drive within the approved speed limit, obey road signs and be vigilant. They should watch out for obstruction and activities of other road users, to avoid crash.

    “That accident was avoidable. It was caused by overspeeding by the driver of the articulated gas truck, which rammed into another stationary containarised truck.

    “When we received distress call, we activated our emergency response team and moved to the scene.

    “Preliminary investigation showed that the driver of the gas truck lost control while on high speed and rammed into a containerised truck parked by the roadside.

    “Nobody died, but three persons were injured. One of the victims was taken to an unknown hospital before the arrival of the LASEMA Response Unit (LRU). The other two, who were trapped, were rescued with the aid of the agency’s extrication equipment.

    “They were thereafter attended to by the agency’s paramedic and Lagos State Ambilance Service (LASAMBUS) before being moved to the Trauma Centre for further treatment. The articulated trucks were recovered to restore normalcy and free vehicular movement at the axis.

    “The police and other security agents will carry out further investigations to ascertain the cause of the accident.”

  • LASEMA rescues two accident victims

    The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency ( LASEMA ) on Tuesday morning rescued two accident victims along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    It was gathered that an overspending diesel-laden tanker had rammed into a stationary trailer around Cele Bus Stop, trapping two persons underneath.

    Although three persons were said to have sustained injuries in the accident, LASEMA General Manager Adesina Tiamiyu said the agency’s responders met two victims trapped in the affected vehicles and rescued them.
    He advised motorists to always adhere to approved speed limits, noting that the accident was avoidable.

    “Motorists should always ensure they drive within the approved speed limit, obey all road signs as well as be vigilant. They should look out for obstruction and activities of other road users to avoid any unfortunate incident that may lead to unnecessary injuries and loss of lives on Lagos roads.

    “That accident was avoidable. It was caused by overspending of the articulated gas truck which rammed into another stationary containerised truck.

    “When we received distress call on the accident, we activated emergency response team and moved to the scene.

    “Preliminary investigation at the scene of the incident revealed that the driver of the gas truck lost control while on high speed and rammed into a containerised truck parked by the side of the road.

    “No life was lost but three persons sustained different degrees of injuries. One of the victims was rushed to an unknown hospital before the arrival of the LRT at the scene, while the other two who were trapped, were rescued with the aid of the agency’s extrication equipment.

    “They were thereafter attended to by the agency’s paramedic and LASAMBUS before being moved to the Trauma Centre for further medical treatment. The articulated trucks involved in the incident were immediately recovered to restore normalcy and free vehicular movement around the axis.

    “The police and other security agencies will carry out further investigations to ascertain the remote caus of the incident.”

    Agencies that took part in the rescue included Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Policemen from Okota Division.

  • Jimoh Ibrahim’s mum dies in fire incident

    The mother of billionaire businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, has died in a fire incident.

    Madam Omofemiwa Ramat Ibrahim, 78, it was learnt, died at her son’s Road 3B8 Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lekki residence in the early hours of Saturday.

    The incident was said to have occurred around 1am.

    According to eyewitnesses, the inferno was caused by a candle lit by the septuagenarian for prayer.

    She was said to be a Catholic.

    But the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it was caused by power surge.

    On its twitter handle @lasemasocial, the LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) wrote “LR unit on a fire rescue operation at VGC. Fire was caused by a power surge.”

    The Agency urged Lagosians to “endeavor to check all power units in our individual homed regularly.”

    The Nation learnt that Madam Ibrahim was pronounced dead at the scene after fire fighters arrived the scene.

    Her remains were said to have been deposited at the morgue.

    Lagos State Fire Service Director Rasaki Musibau said the fire service was alerted at 02.20am and its Lekki Phase 1 station arrived at the scene around 02.27am.

    According to him, the service met the VGC fire station on ground, which doesn’t have enough equipment to put the inferno.

    The firefighters later quenched the fire and left around 4am.

    “If we have been alerted earlier, we would have reduced the damaging effects,” he said.

    The commodity, he said, was handed over to LASEMA.

    Police Spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) confirmed the incident.

    “Report available showed that she was the only casualty,” he said.

    According to him, the late woman’s remains have been deposited at Lagos State General Hospital Morgue.

    Investigations, he said, were on to determine the cause of the incident.

    It was learnt that Madam Ibrahim was moved to VGC to be close to her billionaire son after she was released by kidnappers in 2011.

    She was kidnapped in Igbotako, Ondo State and released in Sapele, Delta State after her family paid millions as ransom.

  • Over 50 vehicles burnt, buildings razed in Lagos pipeline explosion

    * Widow, others wounded

    Over 50 vehicles, including 19 parked in a car port belonging to a dealer, Usman Hamzat as well as about 100 houses and shops were completely razed pipeline explosion that stretched from Abule Egba to Abbatoir in Agege, Lagos on Wednesday.

    A 38-year-old widow, Ruth Joseph, her son Samuel and at least three other persons on Wednesday sustained severe burns in the incident.

    Aside Hamzat’s cars parked at Samar Petroleum station, our correspondent gathered three other car shops were razed.

    The fire, which started at about 2am in front of a private school at 4, Segun Akinola Street opposite Tiper Garage near Awori Bus stop in Abule Egba.

    It was said to have been triggered by activities of vandals, who brought in three tankers and syphoned Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

    Narrating how she was burnt, the widow said they were sleeping when she heard a loud sound and people screaming.

    “We were sleeping when we started hearing shouts. I woke up and saw fire inside my home with plenty heat.

    “The first thing that came to my mind was to rescue my children. I was able to get the other two out unhurt but when I went for Samuel, the fire caught up with us.

    “I am a poor widow and do not have money for hospital. That is why I am happy the Police Commissioner has directed my son and I be taken to General Hospital Ikeja for treatment.”

    According to residents, the vandals who dug a hole to connect their hosts to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines had dropped the host inside the gutter without shutting the valves.

    The PMS was said to have circulated through the gutter to Abbatoir where it sparked fire apparently as a result of activities of early morning butchers.

    What followed were sounds of explosions with fire gutting every property along the path the PMS traversed.

    Areas affected by the pipeline explosion included Arowolo Street, Shogbawole, Adefegba, Katonwi, Santos, Taiwo Adewole, Wamon Taofeek, Owode and Akinlere streets.

    The inferno following the pipeline explosion also spread through Justrite Shopping mall, Samar Filling Station to the canal nearby Agege Abbattoir.

    Others include Charity road junction opposite Oko Oba Market and parts of Ile-Epo.

    A woman, Stella John said people fled their homes as soon as they heard the explosions, adding that several other persons sustained injuries as a result of stampede or occasioned by confusion.

    pipeline

    “I did not care to pick anything. The first thing that came to my mind was to run to safety. People were wailing, running in different directions. So many people sustained injuries.

    “It is not true that people were scooping fuel. If at all people did something like that, maybe they were those who did not witness the December 26, 2006, where hundreds of people scooping fuel were roasted alive,” she said.

    Lagos fire service personnel were still there putting finishing touches on the remaining fire to avoid burning further.

    General Manager Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Adesina Tiamiyu, Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal and officials from NNPC, other agencies visited the affected areas.

    The Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Tunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), was on the spot with his men preventing hoodlums from looting victims’ property and money when they ran for their lives.

    Personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Red Cross officials were also on ground.

    According to Tiamiyu, the fire affected nine streets, destroyed 38 vehicles, four tricycles, 71 shops, 30 rooms, two blocks of flat and a church auditorium.

     

     

  • Attack LASEMA officials, face the music, GM warns

    Anybody who attacks officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) will, henceforth, face the music, its General Manager (GM), Adesina Tiamiyu, said yesterday.

    He spoke in the aftermath of an attack on some LASEMA officials at Obanikoro and Ejigbo.

    They were severely beaten by miscreants, with the phone and money of one of them, Dele Folarin, stolen.

    The LASEMA officials were responding to an emergency at Obanikoro when they were attacked.

    Tiamiyu said his men escaped being hurt at Ejigbo a few days ago, adding that the attackers smashed the windscreen of their vehicle.

    He warned that attacking emergency workers or destroying their vehicles was a heinous crime, adding that the police were on the look out for the perpetrators.

    Tiamiyu said the hoodlums would be fished out and punished to deter others.

    “This act is mostly perpetrated by some unscrupulous elements who do not have any role to play at the scene of the incident, but rather create pandemonium, thereby impeding the smooth operation of the emergency officers.

    “Emergency workers should be seen as friends. They come to give help to people in distress as well as salvage properties during emergencies. They should be allowed to carry out their duties without hindrance, to avoid loss of lives and property,” he said.

  • LASEMA stages awareness campaigns

    The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) yesterday embarked on enlightenment campaigns on the use of the toll-free emergency numbers 112 and 767.

    The campaign, according to LASEMA General Manager Adesina Tiamiyu, is to remind the public of the functionality of the lines, especially with the coming of the dry season.

    He said the agency received over 90,000 calls daily through the emergency numbers, adding that some of them were hoax calls.

    “This campaign is an annual practice aimed at enlightening residents on the need to memorise the emergency numbers.

    “We know a lot of people lose their senses when they are in trouble. They do not even remember numbers. This is why we want it to sink into their minds that whenever there is a fire outbreak, a crime, an accident or any emergency situation, calling either 112 or 767 will bring help to the victims fast.”

    He appealed to residents to avoid the ‘ember months’ rush, saying: “There is no mystery in ember months. There is no difference between January and December. It is just people’s carelessness and impatience that lead to increase in accidents.

    “Do people not die in other months? People just want to make all the money they have not made from the beginning of the year. This is why you see some tired drivers behind the wheels.”

    He appealed to those with depression to seek help, instead of committing suicide.

    The campaigns, which began at the House of Assembly, proceeded to Ikorodu and Lagos Island, with officials distributing handbills and answering questions.

    Participants included Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Fire Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Red Cross, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).