Tuesday, 16 September 2014

MULTIPLE TRAGEDY HITS LAGOS





As at the time of filing this reports,Sniffer dogs from the stables of the Nigerian Police were searching through the debris for more survivors and to help recover dead bodies
MULTIPLE TRAGEDY HITS LAGOS
BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU.
……………………NIGERIAN POLICE SNIFFER DOGS TO THE RESCUE
……………………WOMAN WALKS OUT UNAIDED AT 2.OO, A.M. ON AIDED
……………………57 DEAD AT T.B. JOSHUA’S CHURCH GUEST HOUSE,131 NOW RESCUED
……………………MANY MAY STILL BE TRAPPED INSIDE THE BOWELS OF THE  EARTH AS AT PRESS TIME AT SYNAGOGUE CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS
…………………….GASOLINE TANKER CAUSES PANIC IN LAGOS-IBADAN CAULDRON
……………………..COOKING GAS EXPLODES IN EPE,24 BADLY INJURED
……………………….4 PERISH IN BOAT MISHAP IN LAGOS LAGOON
…………………………9 DIE IN FATAL ACCIDENT IN LAGOS-IBADAN ROAD AXIS.
A multiple but set of horrifying incidents  in several locations in the metropolitan city  of Lagos took place within the Lagos axis in the last one week.
In his messages to the News office Desk of Paedia Express Multimedia in Lagos, Nigeria, Head Public Relations, National Emergency Management Agency , Mr Ibrahim Farinloye told this reporter via short message services through a mobile telephony platform of the harrowing experience officials  of NEMA and its local partner, Lagos state Emergency Management  Agency ,LASEMA went through to put things in order especially at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun Egbe in Lagos, Nigeria.
On the morning of the 13th September,2014 ,Mr Farinloye took his time in explaining minute by minute  of the rescue efforts at Pastor T,B. Joshua’s church.
He revealed that 80 percent of about 123 people rescued at some point in the tragedy were women,with children  of between the ages of four years and eight years old also sighted at scene by NEMA and LASEMA officials.
As the seconds ticked into minutes then minutes became an hour and later hours and days, Mr Farinloye told Paedia Express Multimedia  how the rescue efforts and the party helped to get the people to safety and how they prepared body bags for the morgue.
At first this reporter gathered that 79 people were rescued ,later on it grew to 102 ,then 109,111,121,122,123,124,however when the dead toll was standing at just 16 people only a paltry 79 were rescued.
It was gathered that some expatriate church members  said to be Germans volunteered to join NEMA,LASEMA officials in the search and rescue.
His texts:”LASEMA and other state agencies returned to the site as early as 8:00 after the state Governor directed them to return to the site,but NEMA was informed late at 12;15A.M.”
“LASEMA just called NEMA  that they have returned to the collapsed building site at the Synagogue around 12:15 A.M . after a deal was struck with the church leadership”
In a related issue, it was also discovered that on the 12th of September,2014,motorists had to be diverted along the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as a 400,000 Litres  PMS   laden tanker fell down on the road just before Mowe with NEMA beginning rescue operations almost immediately.
Mr Farinloye pointed out that they had to do what he called the decanning of the tanker with gasoline in order to reduce the risk of the tanker catching fire.
He added that the tanker was eventually removed from the expansive road as it was causing a traffic gridlock.
In the same vein , a tragedy also  struck a day earlier as a cooking gas exploded in the Estate Grammar school Area in Epe around Chief M.T. Awe Street,Iraye,Epe,Lagos state.
This reporter was informed by NEMA that the explosion was  caused by children who were toying with a match box.
Mr Farinloye revealed that at least 24 people suffered various degree of burns in the explosion and were as at press time receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Epe,Lagos.
He advised that parents should take time to train their children and wards on how to handle situations in a gaseous environment aside from the usage of fire extinguishers.
He added that parents   should make a habit of buying fiber type gas cylinder as it was far less risky when it comes to explosion.
 According to NEMA ,the collapsed building inside the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun-Egbe was originally a five storey structure with only two of it said to have been completed as at press time with the remainder said to be under construction before the tragic incident.
The building is said to have collapsed around 1.00 P.M. local time  on the 13th September,2014 with church members attacking emergency responders.
At this early stages only 15 people were rescued with 3 been dead.
There was however a long lull in supplying an information from NEMA in conjunction with LASEMA  in between the time  123rd and 124th  persons  were rescued  suggesting a grueling session in the search and rescue effort of thye officials.
On Sunday,14th September,2014,the dead toll started from 40 to 41,then 42,44 and finally ended at 45 bodies lying cold dead as at Monday morning,15th of September,2014.
Just about press time, Paedia Express Multimedia was informed that Nigerian Police officials have been called in to use sniffer dogs in the search and rescue, just as a woman is believed to have walked out on aided as at 2:00a.m local time.
In a related development, The News office Desk  of Paedia  Express Multimedia was informed of how a boat containing 20 people capsized at the weekend  within the Lagos waterways.
As at press time there was a palpable air of confusion as to the number of survivors as the initial figure sent by NEMA indicated that 18 people survived and search was on to find two missing bodies.
However just as at the time of filing this reports, Paedia express Multimedia learn t that at least four bodies have been prepared for the morgue as a result of the tragic incident.
It was gathered that as a  strange but sharp object which ripped into the boat while in transit led to the boat capsizing.


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