How Lagos hotel fence killed two siblings during rainfall

Two siblings, Gbolahan and Olayinka Atolagbe, were killed on Saturday when a fence collapsed on their house in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the incident occurred on Alao Street, Ishawo, during a downpour.

The bodies of the two children were recovered after hours of being trapped amidst rescue efforts by residents.

The father of the deceased children, Ahmed Atolagbe, in an interview with journalists, said the collapsed fence had been weakened by rainwater from the neighbouring hotel building.

He said, “I was not at home when it happened because I left the house very early in the morning to work. As I was getting to the shop, they called me on my phone that something was going on in our house. I was shocked because everything was fine when I left for work.

“I rushed back home and they told me that the fence of the hotel nearby collapsed on our house. The fence was soaked in the rainwater coming from the hotel compound, which weakened the foundation of the fence.

“That was what made that fence collapse on our house and kill my two children, Gbolahan and Olayinka. Their Muslim names are Abdulwahab and Rokeeb. We have been living in the house for 10 years now.”

A resident had made a distress call in a video seen by Sunday PUNCH, urging emergency rescue operatives to come to the community.

The Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the incident.

He said, “This is to confirm the recovery of two children that were trapped in a partial building collapse which occurred around 11.30am at 25, Ajao Street, CWC, Olainukan Bus Stop, Ishawo, Ikorodu.

“The children, Rokeeb Atolagbe, nine; and Mujeeb Atolagbe, seven; were trapped when a fence from the neighbouring house fell on their building during the downpour.

“It was very unfortunate that the distress calls were not properly channelled to those whose responsibility was to save the lives of the children at the right time.

“The Lagos State Building Control Agency is presently on the ground to assess the situation. May God forgive the deceased and console their parents.”