A 5-storey building which accommodates a private school in the Itafaji area of Lagos Island collapsed on Wednesday morning, leaving hundreds of school children trapped underneath the rubbles.

At the time of filing this report, five of the trapped pupils have been rescued alive by men of the Lagos State Emergency Response and Management Agency (LASEMA) while eight others have been confirmed dead.

The collapse was said to be as a result of a recent dredging operation within the area which affected the foundations of the collapsed building.