Man falls into soak-away pit, dies while putting on generator

A 35-year-old man in Lagos, Olalekan Salisu died after he lost his balance while trying to put on his generator and fell inside a soak-away pit.

The tragic incident happened on Sunday, February 8 at the deceased rented apartment at Anipele Street, Olorunshogo at the Mushin area of Lagos.

After falling inside the soak-away pit, it took men of the Fire Service five hours before his body could be recovered from the put.

It was however too late as he had already died before his body was recovered.

A resident of the street, who spoke to Punch, revealed that people living in the compound usually place their generators on the soak-away pit which would have weakened the slab that covered the pit.

The newspaper source revealed that neighbours tried in vain to bring out the body before they called the Lagos State Fire Service.

The firemen were said to have inserted pipes into the soak-away to drain the wastes after which the victim was brought out dead.

The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident to Punch and warned the public to avoid using septic tank as a passageway or a facility for storage of generators, which could weaken the slabs and lead to avoidable disaster.