People buried under a collapsed luxury skyscraper in Nigeria are calling for help

But on Monday, this more than 20-story half-built building in Nigeria’s economic hub became the scene of a tragedy after the structure collapsed and killed at least ten people.

According to Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, nine more survivors have been pulled from the wreckage so far.

On Tuesday morning, voices could be heard calling for help under the embankments of rubble and coiled metal. Emergency teams are now competing to rescue an unknown number of people who are still trapped under what is supposed to be a “7-star hotel experience,” according to Fourscore Homes building developer brochures.

The incident has raised concerns about construction practices and regulatory oversight in Nigeria, where many buildings have collapsed in recent years.

It also brought new pain to dozens of observers who gathered at the devastated site on Tuesday. Among them were upset relatives eagerly awaiting news of their loved ones.

One of these observers, Farati Bakare, was waiting for news of his uncle, who he said visited the site yesterday.

But as the hours go by, their hopes for good news also fade.

Ibrahim Farinloye of the national agency that coordinates rescue operations told reporters gathered at the scene on Tuesday that he had spoken to people trapped in the building and still hoped they would be pulled out alive.

“We heard voices coming and going,” Farinloye said. “After communicating with them, we took action. Two excavators were deployed in the area.”

Anger and confusion

One bricklayer, who gave him the name Dragon, said he went about his business when he saw that the building had collapsed. He described seeing a dead corpse pulled from the rubble and people covered in dust afterwards.

Dragon said he knows at least seven other masons who are still missing in the crash.

Another missing person is 26-year-old Zainab Oyindamola Sanni, who performs her mandatory national youth service at FourScore, the building’s developers, her family told CNN.

The bride’s brother Fawaz Sanni said she was among those interviewed by paramedics and responded. “They told me she was still alive,” he said.

People walk to rescue workers from the rubble of a collapsed building in Lagos, Nigeria.
Locals view the wreckage of the destroyed building.

Locals criticized the slow response of rescue services after Monday’s crash, and one witness told CNN “we’re waiting four or five hours!”

The other man shouted, “People are dying!”

Many people in desperation resorted to digging people out with their bare hands and pulling three people out of the rubble before rescue services arrived on Monday.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it had activated its emergency plan and sent excavation equipment to the site.

The Nigerian Red Cross also helps the authorities on the spot.

Questions about collapse

Located on Gerald Road Street in the wealthy Ikoyi neighborhood, the building is a construction site for luxury housing. It took two years to build.

The building brochure shows the artistic impression of elegant white buildings with rooftop pools and penthouses costing $ 5 million.

Deputy Governor Hamzat said the building, known as the “360-degree tower,” was sealed by planners in July for construction violations.

A Lagos State spokesman identified the building’s owner as Femi Osibono of Fourscore Homes and said Osibona was “taking corrective action when the incident occurred.”

What caused the demolition of the building is not known.

Rescuers are carrying the body at the site of a collapsed building under construction in Lagos, Nigeria.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, and field officials are assessing possible damage to surrounding structures, the Lagos state government said.

CNN contacted Fourscore Heights Limited, the parent company of Fourscore Homes, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

Demolition of buildings in Nigeria has increased in recent years, often due to non-compliance with regulatory oversight, poor knowledge of construction and substandard building materials.

In 2019, dozens of people died in the demolition of two separate buildings, including one with a school.

The expert told CNN at the time that more than 1,000 buildings in Lagos were in danger of collapsing.

Eliza Mackintosh, Wayne Chang and Katie Polglase of CNN contributed to this report.

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