Emergency personnel stands by the debris of the collapsed building in Ikoyi
(Picture: REUTERS)At least five people have been killed after a high-rise building collapsed in Nigeria.
Dozens are still missing after the 21-story apartment complex tumbled down in an upmarket area of Lagos on Monday.
The building, which had been under construction for the past two years, was part of an apartment complex called 360 Degree Towers. It was set to host luxury apartments, town houses and penthouse suites.
Lagos Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumoso confirmed the deaths, adding that three survivors had been pulled from the rubble in Ikoyi by Monday evening.
Officials arriving at the scene were confronted by crowds of people venting their anger that rescue efforts started several hours after the collapse.
Olayemi Bello told The Associated Press that five of his friends were trapped in the building and he feared the worst.
“When they finish work, they will come outside and they will play with us and talk about the work.” He said. “Now, nobody. All of them are dead.”
Construction worker Eric Tetteh said that he and his brother had managed to escape. But he estimated that more than 100 people were inside the building at the time it crumbled into a pile of debris.
Workers said the high rise apartment building had been under construction for about two years, and it was not immediately known what had caused the collapse.
However, such incidents are relatively common in Lagos because enforcement of building code regulations is weak.
Other observers blamed shoddy work by private developers eager to meet demand for housing in the megacity.
