After five- days of search and rescue operations by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the dead body of a 59- year old Tajudeen Amololo, a Drain Duck working for LAMATA, who got trapped in the underground drainage/tunnel on Monday May 6, had been recovered.
The Permanent Secretary LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that at about 5:53 p.m on Friday May 10, 2024 the victim was recovered dead from the underground drainage/tunnel.
“The recovered body was immediately bagged by the Agency’s officials and handed over to LAMATA Drain Ducks,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He recalled that LASEMA received a distress call from residents and bystanders at Onipanu Bus Stop, Onipanu, regarding a drain duck man working for LAMATA that got trapped in the underground drainage/tunnel on Monday 6th May, 2024 at about 3:23pm.
“This prompted the immediate activation of the Agency’s Response Team to the scene of the incident at 3:25p.m
“Upon the arrival of the Agency’s Team at the incident scene, investigation and information gathered revealed that an adult male, Mr Tajudeen Amololo (59 years), a Drain Duck working for LAMATA got trapped in the channel.
“He was trapped while desilting the drainages along the axis in an attempt to clear a blocked portion of the underground drainage/tunnel in order to allow free flow of drainage water.
“Emergency responders immediately began a rescue operation accessing the heavily silted and flooded tunnel which had lots of storm water from the rains on Sunday, the previous night.
“In the process of the search and rescue operation on Monday 6th May,2024 a fireman from Lagos State Fire Service who suffocated in the underground drainage/tunnel was revived.
“He was stabilised by the Agency’s paramedics and immediately transported to LASUTH for adequate medical attention,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He said that on Tuesday May 7, 2024, a member of the LAMATA Drain Ducks got injured during continuous search/rescue operation, adding that he was immediately treated by the Agency’s paramedics.
The permanent secretary said that the body of the victim was recovered after five days of painstaking, tedious and energy sapping operation.
He listed emergency responders at the scene of the incident to include the Agency’s team, Paramedics, Lagos State Fire Service, LAMATA and the NPF (Ilupeju Division were responders at the incident scene.
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He recommended that Adequate safety measures should be entrenched in the operations of the Drain Ducks.
