Six Dead, 59 Rescued in Lagos School Building Collapse

• Over 100 still trapped

By Chiemelie Ezeobi and Sunday Ehigiator

Following the building collapse at Baden Private Primary School at no 10 Dagara Street, Itafaji area of Lagos Island, six persons, including a pregnant woman, have been confirmed dead, while 59 persons have been rescued alive.

The three-storey school building collapsed at about 10am, killing some pupils and trapping hundreds under the rubble. The pupils were said to be in their classrooms when the building suddenly caved in and buried them underneath.

Many of the pupils rescued by first responders were rushed to the Marina General Hospital. As expected, parents have stormed the school in search of their children.

Personnel of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) are on ground and currently working to
rescue the over 100 pupils, who are said to be trapped trapped under the rubble.

THISDAY also gathered that operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) led by ACP Tunji Disu are on ground to maintain law and order.

Among those rescued alive were a teacher, the landlord of the building and eight tenants of the three-story building.

Checks revealed that the school occupied the third floor while tenants occupied the second floor. The ground floor consist of a block of shops.

The casualty rate was on the high side because the building has over 20 rooms with about eight persons living in a room.

However, emergency workers told THISDAY that the casualty rate for pupils may not be high side as speculated because the pupils of the school were doing their Physical Exercise, so some teachers took the pupils out in batches.
Those who were outside were lucky.

According to eyewitness, the school is about four years old and used to occupy a building in front of the collapsed one before it recently moved into the collapsed building.

Preliminary investigations revealed that there were plans to construct a drainage around the old building which had just recently been dug round the building few days ago. This was what likely weakened the foundation.

Speaking exclusively with THISDAY, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed that as at 2pm, 50 pupils and eight tenants had been rescued.

He however declined to disclose the casualty figure, adding that rescue operations were still ongoing.