Dozens of children trapped and several killed in collapse of building in Lagos, Nigeria

Emergency crews scrambled to rescue dozens of children Wednesday morning from the wreckage of a three-story building housing a nursery and primary school that collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria.

Officials said that several people had been killed, but offered no death toll. Hundreds of people were gathered at the site, on Lagos Island, wailing as motionless children were removed from the rubble and spirited by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

Sunday Adeyemo and his family lived in the building that collapsed. He left early Wednesday morning and found out only hours later that his home was in rubble and his 7-year-old daughter, Taiwo Adeyemo, had died in the collapse.

“I’m totally devastated,” said Adeyemo, who was on the way to the hospital to collect the body of his second-grader.

Adebola Kolawole, the chairwoman of the Red Cross in Lagos state, said 36 people had been pulled from the rubble so far, including some who were dead.

Lagos, a rapidly-growing city and one of the world’s largest, with an estimated population of 23.4 million, has suffered a number of building collapses. Citizens have long raised concerns about shoddy construction and the need for better building inspections.

The building had been marked with an “X” for demolition but not long ago was refurbished, according to some onlookers and neighbours. Residents of the building, which contained apartments as well as the Ohel Nursery and Primary School, had complained about shoddy construction.

Akinwunmi Ambode, the governor of Lagos state, said the school had been operating illegally in a residential building, according to a statement. He added that most of the buildings in the area had been marked for demolition.

Among those who died in the rubble was Bolanle Johnson, who was 6 years old, according to Jumoke Bashua, a friend of the girl’s mother. The mother, Madupe Johnson, who is 38, was so shocked by the death of her daughter that she was hospitalised, and friends worried she may not survive the trauma of the news.

Local officials said at least 70 people, and possibly many more, were inside the building when it came down about 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Dozens of traumatised parents gathered in the compound outside the General Hospital in Lagos, close to the collapsed school. Some wept and collapsed to the ground, while others called out for help amid a lack of information from the hospital staff.

© 2019 New York Times News Service