Two bodies recovered from collapsed building in Nigeria's economic hub

collapsed building

LAGOS, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least two bodies were recovered from the rubble of a seven-story building under construction that collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, in the early hours of Sunday, an official told Xinhua.

The bodies were recovered by rescue agencies conducting search and rescue operations, said Ibrahim Farinloye, zonal coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency in the southwestern region.

At least six people were trapped when the structure at the Oba Idowu Oniru street of Lagos came down at about 3:00 a.m. local time (0200GMT) on Sunday, Farinloye told Xinhua by phone, adding that the recovery operation is still ongoing.

He said that the cause of the collapse remained unclear and an investigation had been launched.

Cases of building collapses are not uncommon in Nigeria, and local experts blame them on aging structures, non-compliance with building planning and regulations, and the use of substandard materials during construction.