Ten persons, including four pupils, were feared dead on Wednesday following the collapse of a building on No. 63 Massey Street, Ita Faaji area of Lagos Island.

About 50 other persons had been pulled out of the rubble alive as of the time of going to press.

It was gathered that the three-storey building, which housed a school, Ohen Nursery and Primary School, and residential apartments, caved in around 10am.

At the scene of the incident, rescue operation was ongoing and the total casualty figure could not be immediately ascertained.

But a miraculous scene occured when an  11-year-old pupil, Taofeekat Rasheed, was about to be wheeled to the morgue and her family insisted that she should be handed over to them for burial according to Islamic rites, but she suddenly showed signs of life as she opened her eyes faintly.

A cardio pulmonary resuscitation was carried out on her and she was immediately taken to the emergency room.

It was gathered that due to pressure on the Lagos Island General Hospital, many victims were being referred to the Massey Children Hospital and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.

According to the General Manager, LASEMA, Mr Adeshina Tiamiyu, the number of casualties cannot be ascertained until the rescue operation is over.

“So far, we have been able to rescue over 40 people. When we finish the rescue operation we can give an accurate number of the victims in collaboration with the medical personnel,” he stated.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Elkana Bala, said 50 pupils and eight tenants had been rescued, adding that only the medical personnel could ascertain their state of health and the number of the dead.