Many trapped in Abuja building collapse

A section of a two-storey residential building has collapsed in Abuja, with several people trapped in the rubble.

It was gathered that the building located beside the popular Cupid Hotel on Cupid Road (Sultan Dasuki Way) in the Kubwa area of Abuja collapsed on Saturday morning.

While emergency responders and security personnel were on ground, rescue efforts were however hampered as the cranes needed for the rescue were yet to arrive as of 8:45 a.m. nearly two hours after the incident.

It was learnt that two persons had been rushed to a nearby hospital while a few others escaped on their own.

Speaking on the incident, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) said four persons were rescued alive from the rubble of the collapsed building.

The acting Director-General of FEMD, Florence Wenegieme, in a statement on Saturday, July 13, 2024, said the collapsed building contained 45 self-contained rooms, adding that it was previously used as a hotel before it was converted for residential purposes.

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Wenegieme disclosed that two of the rescued victims had been taken to the Kubwa General Hospital and were currently receiving treatment.

She said: “FEMD was notified of the incident by passersby and also received a distress call on our 112 emergency toll-free number at about 6:45 a.m. and immediately mobilised to the scene.

“Search and rescue efforts are ongoing until the last person is removed if at all there is still someone trapped in the rubbles.”

The FEMD boss added that other agencies at the scene included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) FCT Fire Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Wenegieme further appealed to developers to strictly follow the building code and avoid the use of substandard materials to avert the incessant building collapse in Abuja.

The Star