Rainfall: Father dies protecting son from collapsed building in Akure

Tragedy struck on Tuesday in Akure following the over 24 hours rainfall which led to part of a building collapsing and causing the death of a man.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent on Wednesday that the incident occurred at 3.00 p.m., at Itedo Eledumare Street, Oba-Ile in Akure North Local Government Area.

Mrs Elizabeth Columbus, a tenant in the collapsed bungalow, said that a section of the building wall collapsed on Mr Titus Adega and his five-year-old son , Kizito Adega, causing the death of the former.

The widow of the deceased, Mrs Margaret Adega, said that the wall of the back section of the building suddenly fell on her husband and son, who were outside, during the rainfall.

“I heard the loud cry of my son from deep in my sleep and I rushed outside to discover him under the rubble of the collapsed wall of the building.

“I tried to extricate him and discovered the unconscious body of my husband on top of him. I believe my husband used his body to protect our son when the wall fell.

“I called out to neighbours who assisted me to extricate them from the rubbles and rushed both of them to the maternity centre in the neighborhood.

“There we were asked to take them to the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, but when we got there he was confirmed dead on arrival.”

The widow said that the corpse had been deposited at the mortuary while their son, who had a fracture on the leg and slight bruises on the face, was receiving treatment.

Margaret Adega said that immediately her son was discharged from hospital, her husband’s corpse would be taken to Benue for burial.

Mr Gabriel Folahan, the head of the Children’s Emergency Room, said that Kizito Adega was brought in at 4.52 p.m., with bruises on the face and a leg fracture.

Folahan said that the child would be referred to the orthopedic ward for Traction on Thursday.

Our investigation also revealed that the rainfall wreaked havoc in other parts of Oba-Ile and on the Airport road, due streams over flowing their banks, causing floods that submerged some buildings and destroyed personal properties and fences.