in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), claiming three lives.
Nine other persons were injured in the incident that occurred in the
early hours of Wednesday.
The National Emergency Management Agency's (NEMA) Public Relations
Officer, Mr Yushau Shuaib, confirmed the incidents and the deaths.
NEMA had reported the recovery of two bodies at the beginning of the
rescue operations, but a third body was recovered and confirmed dead
by rescue operatives as at the time of filling this report.
The agency said that nine persons, who were critically injured were
receiving treatment at the Garki General Hospital, in the FCT.
Meanwhile, some eyewitnesses, said that work on the affected building
had been put on hold for many years.
Mr Omu-West Babatunde, a resident in the area, said that the building
collapsed between 3.30 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Babatunde said that the building was occupied by illegal occupants for
a long time.
Mr Ahmed Tijani, another resident of the area, said that the building
before the accident, accommodated more than 50 artisans, motor
cyclists, water vendors, and refuse disposal boys popularly called
"Mai boula''.
According to Tijani, some occupants of the building made a narrow
escape as they ran out as soon as they heard cracks from the building.
The Chairman of the Bwari Area Council, Mr Peter Yohanna, said that
the building located at Ademola Awosika Road, had been abandoned for
many years by its owners after it failed an integrity test for
approval.
The chairman, who sympathised with the families of the deceased, said
N200,000 had been approved by the council for the treatment of the
wounded victims.
Mr John Efere, Chief Superintendent Officer, Nigerian Security and
Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the Bwari Area Council, said that
rescue operation was still on-going for the rescue of people still
suspected to be trapped in the building.
Also commenting on the incident, Mr Mayas Adoyi, Director Engineering,
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) said that
investigations into the cause of the collapse would be conducted.
Adoyi said that engineers implicated in the construction of the
building would be sanctioned. (NAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment