The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Olumide Sogunle, in a press statement on Sunday evening, stated that the Lagos State Government had taken some initial actions based on the panel’s findings, which include the sacking and blacklisting of the elevator facility managers and the suspension of General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure and Asset Management Agency, among others.

However, Sogunle debunked reports that the elevator had been developing faults since 2020, stressing that the crashed elevator was installed brand new in 2021.

He said, “Elevator experts working with the Lagos Safety Commission have carried out an initial inspection and will be removing the elevator for further mechanical examination to determine why the safety features that should prevent this kind of accident did not work. Their findings will determine if we have a case with the elevator installer.”

Speaking on the actions taken by the state government, Sogunle said, “Based on our initial findings the Lagos State Government has taken the following actions: We have sacked and blacklisted the facility managers; the GM of Lagos State Infrastructure and Asset Management Agency is to immediately proceed on suspension.

“The operations and line of reporting of the facility managers have been restructured to involve the hospital management directly; we have handed the installation and maintenance contractors to the police for further investigation and likely prosecution if they are found culpable. The police will also investigate anyone else that might be negligent.

“Engineers are working to unravel why all the safety devices of the elevator failed at the same time; all our staff are fully insured. We have informed our life insurance providers about this incident; the Lagos Safety Commission has been directed to immediately carry out an audit of all elevators in public offices. This is besides the usual safety arrangements that have always existed.”

According to findings by our correspondent, the hospital elevator that killed the late Diaso crashed from the 10th floor to the ground floor.

It was also gathered that the late doctor was rushed to the emergency ward of the hospital for treatment but eventually died.

A colleague of Diaso, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent that the elevator had malfunctioned several times before now.

“On multiple occasions, the elevator has stopped while we were inside. And there’s no maintenance,” he said.

He also told our correspondent that the hospital management was aware of the poor state of the elevator but failed to act.

“We report every time. The elevator is supposed to carry 630kg maximum, that’s eight people.”