Building Collapses In Lagos, Kills Bricklayer

A building has collapsed in the Bariga area of Lagos killing a bricklayer, identified simply as Tunde, and injuring other workers at the site.

The building, which is on Gbagada Road, was being demolished for reconstruction when the incident occurred.

The incident occurred at about 11am on Friday.

It was gathered that the owner of the building, identified simply as Pastor Nwosu, had brought three workers to the site to renovate the structure.

It was learnt that while the work commenced, a part of the building caved in, injuring one of the workers, identified simply as Mufutau, when Mufutau was rescued from the rubble, residents noticed that Tunde was trapped.

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Friday, a vulcaniser, who did not want his name in print, said officers from the Bariga Police Division later arrived to take the deceased away.

He said, “The owner of the collapsed building is a pastor. He also owns the church beside the building.

“He brought the workers to demolish the structure so that it can be rebuilt. While the men set to work, the walls just came down on them.

“While people rescued Mufutau, they did not realise that another person was trapped in the rubble.

“It was later that they heard sharp screams and suspected that someone was still trapped. It was the police, who brought him out and took his corpse away.”

It was learnt that Tunde was confirmed dead at a nearby hospital.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said, “It is a case of sudden and unnatural death. The pastor reported at a police station that he employed three casual workers to renovate a part of his building. However, a wall caved in and collapsed on two of them. One of them died.