One Confirmed Dead, Three Injured As Elevator Crashes in Cocoa House, Ibadan Tallest Building

The Cocoa House was said to have been built with proceeds from cocoa by the then government of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was the Premier of the Western Region.

The building as at now is being managed by the Odua Investment Company Limited, which is owned by the six states of the South-west.

The Head of Corporate Affairs, Odua Investment Company Limited, Mr. Victor Ayetoro, while confirming the death of one person during the clash, said the elevator crashed into the basement pit.

According to him, “At around 11am this morning, the lift installation team from our contractor handling the lift and who were working on dismantling the old lift in readiness for a new lift instalment, while working on the lift suffered a mechanical failure. The said failure resulted in the lift car dropping and crashing into the basement pit.one of the technicians in the team did not survive the incident.

“Three other technicians suffered minor injuries and have been taken to the hospital for check up treatment.

“The head office of the company has been informed and their representatives have arrived to take charge of the situation while the police have also been notified.

Meanwhile another source that narrated the incident confirmed two dead.

The story says “The elevator was being repaired when it crashed on the people working on it today (Wednesday) after which two people dead and three others sustainec injuries” It continues…

One of the elevators at the Cocoa House building, a property of Odu’a Investment in Ibadan, Oyo State, crashed on Wednesday morning, leaving two people dead and three others injured.

It was learnt that the elevator was recently repaired but had worked for more than 72 hours before it crashed on Wednesday.

The incident which claimed two lives while others who sustained injuries had been rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the city was so pathetic in the city of Ibadan today.

It was learnt that technicians were working on it when the accident, crashing on them.

The elevator was being repaired when it crashed on the people working on it today (Wednesday),” the source said.

Cocoa House, the first skyscraper in Nigeria and West Africa with 26 storeys, was completed in 1965 at a height of 105 metres.

The entire building was gutted by fire on January 9, 1985. The fire started at the top floors and was caused by a malfunctioned electrical equipment. It was closed to the public until it was renovated in August 1992.

Subscribe, Share & leave comment.