Seventy-seven occupants of a 20-room building, including 48 children have escaped death after a building collapsed in Ajegunle, a Lagos slum community.

The storey building located at26, Afolabi Alasia Street, Gaskiya Road in Ijora Badia, was said to have been physically defective.

Sources said the structure had visible cracks and showed signs of deterioration long before it collapsed from the rear on Thursday evening.

It was learnt it took the intervention of the local police and emergency workers to evacuate all trapped occupants of the building.

According to the Director General (DG) Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), there were 29 adults comprising 14 females and 15 males as well as 48 children in the premises.

“Fortunately, there was no loss of life or injury sustained at the scene of incident. Agency responders and police officers from Ijora Badia worked together to evacuate all the occupants. The area has been cordoned off to prevent any secondary incident.

“The structural review has revealed that the entire building is weak, dilapidated and no longer fit for habitation. There is also a clear threat being posed to the adjoining building.

“The building has been sealed by LASBCA and cordoned off by the agency response team. Any further action will be carried out by LASBCA,” he said. (The Nation)