Building housing school collapses in Nigeria, Many children trapped

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Building housing school collapses in Nigeria, Many children trapped

As rescuers worked furiously to reach those inside, distraught parents begged them to find their children

Wednesday March 13, 2019 9:52 PM, Agencies

Lagos: As many as 100 children and many others were feared trapped on Wednesday after a building housing a primary school collapsed in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos.

The incident took place near Itafaji market on Lagos Island in Nigeria's economic capital at around 10:00 am (0900 GMT).
The children were attending a nursery and primary school on the top floor of the residential building when the structure collapsed, according to news agency AFP.

“It is believed that many people including children are currently trapped in the building,” said Ibrahmi Farinloye, spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency’s southwest region.

He said that casualty figures were not yet available. But, residents of the area said around 100 children attended the school on the top floor of the building. At the site, many people were shouting and screaming. A fight almost broke out as anger at the collapse boiled over, according to news agency Reuters.

As rescuers worked furiously to reach those inside, distraught parents begged them to find their children.

"Please, save my child, save my child!" wept one traumatised mother whose seven-year-old daughter was trapped inside, as people tried in vain to console her.

School bags, toys and clothes could be seen among the piles of rubble as a bulldozer tried to clear a path through some of the wreckage to help the rescue efforts.

As the day wore on, an AFP correspondent saw several children being brought out, at least one of whom appeared to be dead.

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