LASG: Trapped Drainage Worker Found Dead After Five-Day Search, Rescue Operation

Rescue authorities in Lagos State have found a drainage worker Tajudeen Amololo dead after a five-day search. 

The man was trapped in an underground tunnel at the Onipanu Bus Stop around Fadeyi in Lagos while he was desilting the drainage.

While rescue agencies had launched a search and rescue operation since then, the drainage worker was later found dead after five days.

“After five days of painstaking, tedious, and energy-sapping operation, the team remained determined on focused on the rescue operation. At about 5:53 pm on Friday 10th May 2024 the victim was recovered dead from the underground drainage/tunnel,”  the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu said in an update.

“The recovered body was immediately bagged by the Agency’s officials and handed over to LAMATA Drain Ducks.”

Following the incident, LASEMA recommended that, “Adequate safety measures should be entrenched in the operations of the drain ducks.”

READ LASEMA’S FULL STATEMENT ABOUT THE RESCUE OPERATION

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF A 5-DAY SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION REGARDING A MAN TRAPPED IN UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE/TUNNEL AT ONIPANU BUS STOP, INWARD FADEYI ON 6TH-10TH MAY, 2024

INCIDENT

The Agency 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.

TOT: 3:25pm

CAUSE

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 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 got trapped in the process.

SALVAGE

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, stabilised by the Agency’s paramedics and immediately transported to LASUTH for adequate medical attention.

Also on Tuesday 7th May, 2024, a member of the LAMATA Drain Ducks got injured during continuous search/rescue operation. He was immediately treated by the Agency’s paramedics.

After five days of painstaking, tedious and energy sapping operation, the team remained determined on focused on the rescue operation. At about 5:53pm on Friday 10th May, 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.

RESPONSE

The Agency’s LRT, LRU Paramedics, Lagos State Fire Service, LAMATA and NPF (Ilupeju Division were responders at the incident scene.

ACTION TAKEN

The operatives of the Agency were involved in;

-Recovery of the trapped victim from the underground tunnel/drainage.

-Revive and stabilization of suffocated fireman and transportation to LASUTH

-Treatment .of injured LAMATA Drain Duck

-Coordination with all stakeholders at the incident scene to ensure a smooth operation.

-Management of the incident scene to avert a secondary incident.

RECOMMENDATION

-Adequate safety measures should be entrenched in the operations of the Drain Ducks.

Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu

Permanent Secretary, LASEMA

10th May, 2024