How cooking at home saved me from collapsed restaurant – Lagos resident

A Lagos resident has shared how he narrowly avoided being trapped in a two-storey building that collapsed on Oremeta Street in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State.

The structure, which housed a local restaurant, gave way around 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Reports indicate that the incident occurred shortly after some workers had arrived, and it was also revealed that artisans had carried out work on the building earlier.

Although the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said five people had been rescued as of the time of filing the report, residents in the area feared that many others could be trapped under the rubble.

However, the resident, who identified himself as Chike, told newsmen that he was lucky to have escaped after he shelved his plan to have breakfast at the restaurant.

“I live within Ojodu; this (the restaurant) is the place I usually go to eat. Last night, I wanted to go there to eat but I didn’t feel comfortable about going, so I decided to buy some things to cook at home.

“That (cooking at home) also made me not to go to the restaurant this morning. This morning, I was preparing to go to Berger to pick something when I heard that something happened at EqualRight, and by the time I got there, I realised that a lot of people had been injured,” he said.

Chike also expressed worry that many could be trapped underneath the building as the restaurant was popular in the area.

“In a day, they get up to 100 customers. Sometimes, when a football match is on, you can find up to 70 people gathered there. We feel bad about this incident.

“As I speak with you, some people are in the building. We have yet to confirm whether they are alive but we pray they are alive, by the Grace of God

“The building was old but I don’t know whether they were trying to build another structure there,” he added.

Emergency responders had a hard time controlling the crowd of onlookers.

Some angry youths refused to vacate the scene, against the instruction of some police officers on the ground, as two bulldozers struggled to make their way into the premises.

Five die, one injured in Ife-Ilesa road accident

BREAKING: Gospel singer Big Bolaji is dead

Many trapped, 9 rescued as building collapses in Lagos