Four people have been rescued from part of a two-story residential building that collapsed on Saturday morning in Kubwa, the largest suburban town in Abuja.
Many people were trapped in the rubble when the collapse took place rond 6:30 a.m., and professional rescuers arrived at 9:15 a.m.
Federal Fire Service personnel, who were the first responders at the scene, were observed attempting to mobilize other emergency and security services.
According to report, the building next to the well-known Cupid Hotel on Cupid Road (Sultan Dasuki Way) Phase 2, Site 2 in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, was initially a hotel called Al-Halal. It was later converted into a hospital, and after the hospital owners vacated, it became a residential apartment with around 45 self-contained rooms.
Emergency responders and security personnel were present at the scene, but rescue efforts were delayed because necessary equipment did not arrive until 9:15 a.m., nearly three hours after the incident occurred.
Two people were initially rescued and promptly taken to a nearby hospital, while many others reportedly managed to escape on their own. Additionally, apart from a woman who moved out of the apartment on Friday, some occupants avoided the incident by being out for early morning exercises.
One of the people who escaped, preferring to remain anonymous, recounted waking up just before 7 a.m. and exiting her part of the building upon hearing cracking sounds.
The situation took a dramatic turn when some occupants of the building claimed that another female occupant remained in her room while her boyfriend had fled at the first signs of cracks.
Later in a statement, the Federal Capital Territory FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) indicated that they were notified about the incident by bystanders and also received a distress call on the 112 emergency toll-free number around 6:45 a.m.
Nkechi Isa, the Head of Public Affairs at the department, said that two out of the four rescued victims were immedia transported to Kubwa General Hospital.
She said, “Efforts are ongoing to look for any other person that may be trapped in the collapsed building”.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Florence Dawon Wenegieme, the Acting Director General of FEMD, who was present at the scene, said that search and rescue operations would persist until everyone is accounted for, in case anyone remains trapped in the debris.
She urged developers to adhere strictly to building codes and refrain from using substandard materials.
According to report investigation, the concrete works in the building utilized smaller rods (Y12) instead of the larger ones (Y16) usually used for such structures.
