12year old Pupil drowns in canal...SEE PHOTO

THE VICINITY OF THE INCIDENT

Firstclass newsline learnt that a 12-year-old pupil, Kehinde Popoola,
has drowned in a canal in the Orilowo Ejigbo area of Lagos State.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the victim was running an errand on
Tuesday when she stopped to watch the movement of flood in a canal
after a downpour in the area.
Firstclass newsline learnt that as Popoola watched the surge, she fell
into the canal and was swept away.
It was gathered that an elderly man in the community, who witnessed
the incident, quickly jumped into the canal with the hope of saving
her.
It was gathered that he, however, hit his head against a concrete iron
and almost drowned. He was said to have abandoned the rescue effort.
It was learnt that as of 5.20pm on Wednesday, the remains of the
victim had yet to be recovered from the canal.
An official of the Lagos State Fire Service told a source that
although the incident happened around 2pm on Tuesday, the service was
not informed until Wednesday.
He said, "The incident happened around 2pm on Tuesday. She was sent on
an errand to buy the food that she would eat.
"When she got to the canal, she stood there, watching the surge. In
the process of doing that, she lost her balance and fell into the
canal.
"An elderly man tried to rescue her. But when he discovered that it
might involve his life, he had to leave her. She was swept away."
It was learnt that the family, who became aware after hearing the
noise around the canal, met a crowd of people at the scene of the
incident.
They were said to have sought the support of some local rescue men,
who entered the murky water.
A source said, "They invited eight Hausa men to look for her. But they
did not find her."
A source was told that it was after the men failed that the residents
alerted the state fire service.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, who
confirmed the incident, said the Ikotun fire service responded.
He said, "Although the girl may have died by now, we are on ground to
supervise the search.
"Our men, with the assistance of other people in the community, are
not leaving any stone unturned to make sure the girl is brought out."
Firstclassnewsline.net