Rescuers are searching for survivors in the wreckage of a 22-storey high-rise block that collapsed under construction in Nigeria's largest city, Lagos.
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Nigeria Ikoyi building collapse: Race to find survivors |
At least 5 people have died and dozens are missing.
Despite heavy rain, rescue workers and locals used floodlights to work through the night, digging through rubble and twisted metal. Four survivors have been pulled from the wreckage.
The partially built block of luxury apartments came down on Monday.
What caused the collapse and how many people are trapped under the debris remains unclear.
Many relatives are now anxiously waiting to hear whether their loved ones have survived.
In the meantime, local authorities have ordered an investigation into the collapse and pledged to make the final report public.
Femi Adesina, a special advisor to President Muhammadu Buhari, said the president "commiserates with families who've lost loved ones".
He added that the president had urged the authorities to step-up their rescue efforts.
The building came down at around 14:45 local time (13:45 GMT) in the upmarket district of Ikoyi.
It was part of a fancy named 360 Degrees Towers, which was meant to house luxury apartments, city houses and penthouses, according to the event's website, which has since been taken offline.
The housing scheme is being developed by Fourscore Homes Limited, which has a portfolio of projects in the UK, US, South Africa, and other areas of Nigeria.
Construction worker Eric Tetteh, 41, told the Associated Press that his teams had been waiting for an excavator to arrive on the site when the building suddenly fell.
"Me and my brother, we escaped, but extra people are there - more than 100 people," he said.
A witness who was working in an office building reverse the site told the BBC's Exterior Source programme that he heard a sound, looked out of his window and "saw the building actually taking place floor by floor."
Local authorities have put an emergency rescue plan into place, and local officials have visited the site.
But according to AP, Lagos' deputy governor Femi Hamzat was met by crowds of angry individuals who accused authorities of not starting rescue efforts soon enough.
Some reports say the constructing, which had more than 20 storeys, was several flooring larger than originally intended.
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Nigeria Ikoyi building collapse: Race to find survivors |
There have been several building collapses in Lagos in recent years.
In 2019, 10 people died after a school collapsed in the commercial hub.
And in 2014, a six-storey building fell during a service by a celebrity televangelist, killing 116 people.
Constructing standards have often been criticised and Lagos state authorities recently launched a new scheme to improve certification.
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Nigeria Ikoyi building collapse: Race to find survivors |
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