TWO persons have reportedly been rescued from a collapsed building at the Gudu District in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The collapsed building is located at Close 10, Drive 5, Second Gate at the Prince and Princess Estate, Gudu in the nation’s capital.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Head of Public Affairs at the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Nkechi Isa, on Saturday, June 20.
Isa noted that Acting Director General of FEMD, Florence Wenegieme, confirmed that every person working on the building left the premises as soon as they noticed signs that the building was about to collapse.
Nevertheless, the debris from the fallen structure trapped two people inside the attached building within the premises.
“The team worked tirelessly to rescue the trapped occupants, eventually cutting through the window protectors to reach them,” she noted.
“We are grateful that we were able to rescue the two persons alive,” she said.
According to her, the trapped occupants were rescued by the FEMD search and rescue team, who cut through the window protectors.
Meanwhile, she appealed to builders and other stakeholders to always follow the building codes.
Additionally, she directed developers to constantly verify the integrity of old buildings before beginning restorations.
Isa emphasised the significance of hiring professionals and providing protective gear to ensure worker safety on building sites.
She pleaded with developers to guarantee insurance for the structure and the labourers on site.
The ICIR reported in August 2023 that two people died in a building collapse at Lagos Street in the Garki area of the FCT.
Thirty-five others were injured in the collapse and were taken to hospitals around the area.
The incident occurred at about 11.30 pm on Wednesday, August 23, according to Isah.
Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, who visited the scene promised to foot the bills of those injured in the collapse.
Wike also noted that the area would be sealed and ordered the immediate arrest of the property owner.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance