A storey building opposite Abeokuta South Local Government Headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital collapsed on Thursday.
Twenty residents, including a 60year old woman seller of local gin herbs known as Opa- eeyin in one of the shops at the ground floor, was trapped.
The ramshackle building of over 50 years gave notice of the collapse following gradual crack.
The crack sign was said to awaken the sense of the occupants, who in a hurry started leaving,and just in a jiffy the building caved in with a thunderous sound.
Many properties within the building including local herbs and gin were trapped, while a food vendor beside the building lost her already cooked food estimated at N30,000
Ironically, the building has been marked down for demolition by government as one of the buildings to pave way for road construction in the area
The local gin/herb seller, Risikatu Madojutimi confirmed a crack signal before the final collapse of the building.
She equally explained that, the crack signal was a saving grace for all occupants, who immediately started moving out, adding that not quite minute of their exodus that a bang was heard announcing collapse of the building
Amuda Olowonyo, the food seller in her own account said she was inside her make-shift shop with some customers when the building collapsed,hence, they all took to their heels to avoid been killed.
Showing, remnants of the trapped food inside the coolers to our correspondent, Amuda thanked God for sparing her life and those of her customers.
She, however, lamented the loss of the food estimated about N30,000, ‘as you can see the food trapped inside, its a great loss’.