44 confirmed dead in Synagogue building collapse
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Sunday confirmed that 39 persons died in the building that collapsed in the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos, on Friday.
But a late report said Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday visited the scene of collapsed building at which the number of the dead was put 44.
The massive church located at Ikotun, a Lagos suburb, is owned by Pastor Temitope Joshua.
According to the latest update, NEMA also said 130 people have so far been rescued alive.
As at Saturday, 16 were confirmed dead and 109 injured, just as rescue operation continued.
A six-storey within the premises of the church was being raised to eight-storey when it suddenly caved in while construction work was in progress.
This left hundreds of workers and worshippers trapped under the collapsed building.
The rescued worshippers and workers were rushed to Isolo and Alimosho General Hospitals, while corpses were deposited at the mortuary.
“The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and NEMA are still searching to make sure that those still trapped in the building are rescued.
“We are still searching for those trapped in the building so the figure may increase later,” NEMA spokesperson, Ibrahim Farinloye, had said.
Reacting to the latest building collapse, immediate past President of the Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIB) Chicks Omeife, advocated a more serious sanction against owners of collapsed structures in Lagos State.
He spoke in an interview with Daly Independent his office.
According to Omeife, now is the time to begin to apply the full weight of the law on owners of buildings that collapse.
Omeife noted that over the years owners of buildings that collapsed have been allowed to continue to walk the street as freemen.
He added that until owners of such structures were sanctioned, buildings would continue to collapse.
He said if it was true that the original structure of a two-storey building was adjusted to accommodate another three floors without approval from the Lagos Ministry for Physical Planning, then those responsible for the disaster should not be allowed to go scot-free.
He said the state’s planning law does not allow for conversion from the initial specification without seeking approval, hence the need to ensure that those responsible were held liable.
According to him, the tendency for people to convert their structures from what was initially approved by the Physical Planning Ministry has become the fad.
He added that in order to stem the tide, there was the need to apply the full weight of the law on culprits.
He lamented a situation whereby no developer had been brought to book by the state government for flouting the Physical Planning Law of the state.
He called for a probe of the collapse at the Synagogue Church, noting that it would bring into fore what hitherto had been hidden from the public.
Fashola, who expressed sadness over the collapsed church building, said his government will do everything within its powers to prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.
He said an enquiry will be made into the remote and immediate causes of the incident after which government will take necessary actions.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Toyin Ayinde, who accompanied the Governor to the scene, expressed shock over the incident, saying the state government was unaware that such heavy construction was going on in the vicinity.
He said he could not remember the state government giving approval for the construction of the collapsed building.
Ayinde explained that it is a statutory obligation of any individual or group who wants to embark on construction of high-rise building to seek approval from the state government.
But a late report said Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday visited the scene of collapsed building at which the number of the dead was put 44.
The massive church located at Ikotun, a Lagos suburb, is owned by Pastor Temitope Joshua.
According to the latest update, NEMA also said 130 people have so far been rescued alive.
As at Saturday, 16 were confirmed dead and 109 injured, just as rescue operation continued.
A six-storey within the premises of the church was being raised to eight-storey when it suddenly caved in while construction work was in progress.
This left hundreds of workers and worshippers trapped under the collapsed building.
The rescued worshippers and workers were rushed to Isolo and Alimosho General Hospitals, while corpses were deposited at the mortuary.
“The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and NEMA are still searching to make sure that those still trapped in the building are rescued.
“We are still searching for those trapped in the building so the figure may increase later,” NEMA spokesperson, Ibrahim Farinloye, had said.
Reacting to the latest building collapse, immediate past President of the Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIB) Chicks Omeife, advocated a more serious sanction against owners of collapsed structures in Lagos State.
He spoke in an interview with Daly Independent his office.
According to Omeife, now is the time to begin to apply the full weight of the law on owners of buildings that collapse.
Omeife noted that over the years owners of buildings that collapsed have been allowed to continue to walk the street as freemen.
He added that until owners of such structures were sanctioned, buildings would continue to collapse.
He said if it was true that the original structure of a two-storey building was adjusted to accommodate another three floors without approval from the Lagos Ministry for Physical Planning, then those responsible for the disaster should not be allowed to go scot-free.
He said the state’s planning law does not allow for conversion from the initial specification without seeking approval, hence the need to ensure that those responsible were held liable.
According to him, the tendency for people to convert their structures from what was initially approved by the Physical Planning Ministry has become the fad.
He added that in order to stem the tide, there was the need to apply the full weight of the law on culprits.
He lamented a situation whereby no developer had been brought to book by the state government for flouting the Physical Planning Law of the state.
He called for a probe of the collapse at the Synagogue Church, noting that it would bring into fore what hitherto had been hidden from the public.
Fashola, who expressed sadness over the collapsed church building, said his government will do everything within its powers to prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.
He said an enquiry will be made into the remote and immediate causes of the incident after which government will take necessary actions.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Toyin Ayinde, who accompanied the Governor to the scene, expressed shock over the incident, saying the state government was unaware that such heavy construction was going on in the vicinity.
He said he could not remember the state government giving approval for the construction of the collapsed building.
Ayinde explained that it is a statutory obligation of any individual or group who wants to embark on construction of high-rise building to seek approval from the state government.
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