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 drainage 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 the ongoing search/rescue operation. He was immediately treated by the Agency’s paramedics.

After five days of painstaking, tedious and energy sapping operation with the team focused on a salvage operation, at 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.
⁃ refresher training for the drainage duck operations
No further update

Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu
PS LASEMA