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Lagos church collapse kills at least 62

September 16, 2014

South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday that 67 South Africans died when one wing of a popular church in Lagos collapsed last Friday. Nigerian authorities put the death toll at 62 earlier on Tuesday.

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Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos Ruine 13.09.2014
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/Sunday Alamba

"I am greatly saddened to announce that 67 South Africans died and scores of others sustained injuries, after a building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed on Friday," Zuma said in a statement on Tuesday.

Nigerian emergency services had earlier said that 62 people had been confirmed dead after the collapse of one wing of the Synagogue Church of all Nations church in Nigeria's business capital Lagos.

Rescue workers said three extra storeys were being added to the part of the Pentecostal protestant church that caved in. It had housed Nigerian and foreign followers of a popular preacher and televangelist called T.B. Joshua.

At least five South African church tour groups were at the Synagogue at the time of the collapse, according to officials.

"Not in the recent history of our country have we had this large number of our people die in one incident outside the country," Zuma said in the statement. "Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues that have lost their loved ones in this heart-breaking tragedy."

Zuma said he had ordered government departments to help family members get to Nigeria to identify the bodies of their loved ones, and repatriate the remains as soon as possible.

ng/msh (AFP, Reuters)