One Shuaibu, 37, who resides on Kalejaiye Street in the Oke Ona community, Ikorodu area of Lagos State yesterday got drowned while digging a well.
The victim alongside two others were contracted to dig a well for a building which was under construction when the disaster occurred.
While digging the well, the victim became tired in the process and as a result, got trapped inside.
It was learnt that all effort by the residents to rescue Shuaibu from the well proved abortive and as a result, the Lagos State Fire Service was contacted and the remains of Shuaibu was eventually removed from the well.
An eyewitness who claimed anonymity noted thus; “It was in the morning. The three of them were digging the well, which was for the owner of a two storey-building in the community.
“At a point, he became tired and got trapped in the well. People tried to remove him, but they could not.”
According to the Lagos State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Amodu Sakiru, the Ikorodu Fire Station acted upon a distress call it got from residents of the area, adding that the remains of Shuaibu has been handed over to Police Officers from the Ikorodu division.
The deceased, according to the Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe inhaled ammonia gas.
Fadipe affirmed, “He must have inhaled ammonia gas, which usually makes the victim get dizzy and weak. And that was how he got trapped.
“We have held meetings with their association to always inform us whenever they want to dig a well. We do not mind providing them with breathing apparatus. This is because in every well, there is ammonia gas.
He further added, “Secondly, they are supposed to have a rope that they will tie to themselves which their colleagues can easily use to pull them up in the event of an emergency. Also, wells have different textures which determine the level of danger those digging the well are exposed to.”
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