Death toll in Ikoyi building collapse rises to 36

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

The death toll from the collapse of a building at Ikoyi, Lagos state, Nigeria, has risen to 36, as rescue operations enter the fourth day.

The 21-storey building under construction in the Ikoyi district of Lagos crumbled on Monday afternoon, trapping dozens of people working on the site.

“So far, 36 people – 33 males and three female – have been confirmed dead, while there were nine survivors,” Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, general manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, told the AFP news agency on Thursday.

The number of people present on the site at the time of the collapse is still unknown.

Ibrahim Farinloye, of the National Emergency Management Agency, said rescuers “won’t give up until we reach ground zero”, adding that bigger equipment was brought in Tuesday evening for the operation.

Two other smaller buildings in Lagos also collapsed on Tuesday following heavy rains, though no one was killed, Farinloye said.