A yet-to-be-identified male adult has been trapped in an underground tunnel in the Onipanu area of Lagos State.
It was learnt that the incident happened on Monday while the victim was de-silting drainages in the community.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, in a statement obtained by our correspondent, stated that the drainage worker was employed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.
The LASEMA boss said the worker got trapped in the tunnel while trying to dislodge and evacuate debris from the underground drainage.
The statement read, “Following an SOS message on the distress situation of a Drainage Worker, LASEMA activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from its Onipanu Base.
“Upon arrival of the emergency responders at the incident scene, investigations revealed that an adult male de-silting drainages along that axis in attempts to clear a blocked portion, accessed the underground tunnel and got trapped.
“Further investigation at the incident scene revealed that the man was a Drain Ducks worker employed by LAMATA, while trying to dislodge and evacuate debris from the underground drainage, unfortunately, got trapped in between the tunnel.”
Oke-Osanyitolu stated further that a search and rescue operation operation by the LASEMA Response Team and other emergency responders started at about 4:25pm.
He added that they were working together assiduously to rescue the trapped victim, adding that the operation was still ongoing.
“In order to hasten positive results, sophisticated equipment equipment has been deployed in the penetrative of the manhole to save the worker’s life, while strategic efforts have also been employed to block off, and divert inflow of water from the Ilupeju axis so as reduce the volume of underground fluids,” the statement added.
PUNCH
It is very unfortunate. I would like all the emergency operatives in Nigeria to google and watch the film FIREPROOF See how lives are valued.