Abuja Tragedy: Building Collapse Claims Five Lives Near Gudu Market
A three-storey building under construction tragically collapsed in Abuja's Durumi 3 area on Saturday, claiming at least five lives and injuring several others. Emergency services swiftly responded, with preliminary findings suggesting compromised construction material as a potential cause. Investigations are ongoing, as FCT Minister Nyesom Wike directed free medical treatment for all victims.
A tragic incident unfolded on Saturday in Durumi 3, an area near Gudu Market in Abuja, when a three-storey building under construction collapsed. The catastrophic event resulted in multiple casualties, with rescue operations immediately initiated to search for those trapped under the rubble.
Emergency responders from various agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and local volunteers, swiftly mobilized to the scene. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment Secretariat, was present at the site, personally attending to the rescued and overseeing operations. She confirmed the incident and provided updates on the ongoing efforts.
Confirmed reports indicated that at least five persons lost their lives in the collapse. The casualty count for those rescued alive varied slightly across reports, with figures ranging from nine to twelve individuals. A significant rescue effort saw one person successfully extricated from the debris after being trapped for more than nine hours. All casualties, including those injured and recovering, were evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital for treatment. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike promptly directed that all victims rescued should receive free medical treatment, a directive reiterated by his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka.
Preliminary investigations into the cause of the collapse have begun, with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) suggesting that the developer might have compromised the quality of the cement mixture used during construction. Dr. Fasawe also seized the opportunity to issue a stern reminder to residents and property developers within the nation's capital about the critical importance of securing all necessary approvals from the FCT Development Control Department before commencing any building project. The victims of the collapse were largely believed to be construction workers on site. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the factors contributing to the building's failure.