50 die in Synagogue church as building collapse

No fewer than 50 persons have been feared dead, with several others injured during the collapse of a six-storey building in the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun, Lagos on Friday.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigerian at the scene reports that ambulances were seen taking people out of the collapse building to the Isolo General Hospital.
There had yet to be an official confirmation of the number of casualties.
Policemen were on the ground dispersing crowds, who were gathered outside the gate of the collapse building.
An eyewitness, who spoke to NAN on anonymity, said that the building collapse at around 1.30pm.
He said the building, which usually serves as a guest house for some foreigners and people from the neighbouring African countries, was completed four months ago.

The eyewitness added that the building, which was a four-storey building, was converted to six-storey building to accommodate more of its visitors.

”We were all surprised with this incidence. At around 1.30pm, the building collapsed while people were inside.

“This building was a four-storey building but it was converted to seven,” he said.

NAN also observed that Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were also on the ground.

LASEMA officials were denied access into the premises of the church while journalists were also chased away from the scene of the incidence.

-punch

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Forty people have now died as a result of a building collapse at the megachurch of one of Nigeria's most famous preachers and televangelists, the country's main rescue body said on Sunday.

"It's now 40 dead," Ibrahim Farinloye, southwest coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), told AFP by text message.

Some 124 people were rescued alive from the rubble of the building, believed to be a guesthouse for foreign followers of TB Joshua's The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), in the Ikotun area of Lagos.

The two-storey building, located in the sprawling compound of the vast church complex, came down on Friday afternoon. It was undergoing construction work to add extra floors.

TB Joshua, dubbed "The Prophet", has an almost fanatical following among Nigerians and across the world, attracted by his purported healing powers and prophecies.

Joshua preaches to massive crowds at his megachurch in Ikotun every week and, according to his website, SCOAN "hosts thousands of national and international visitors" each year.

"People travel from around the world to witness and receive from the mighty work that God is doing in the life of Prophet TB Joshua," it states.

Emergency services and the media were attacked as they tried to get to the building. Rescue operations were continuing on Sunday, Farinloye said.... http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/110712/World/International/Death-toll-now--in-Nigeria-building-collapse-Rescu.aspx

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