Another building collapses in FCT, 4 rescued

…Plateau governor shuts school, declares 3 days of mourning

BY UKPONO UKPONG

The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), has said that four persons have been rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed two storey building located beside Cupid Hotel, Sultan Dansuki Road, Phase 2, Site 2, Kubwa, Bwari Area Council.

In a statement issued to journalists, the Head Public Affairs, FEMD, Nkechi Isa, said the department was notified of the incident by passersby as well as received a distress call on the 112 emergency toll free number at about 6.45am.

While noting that two of the rescued victims have been taken to the Kubwa General hospital, she disclosed that effirts are ongoing in the search for any other person that may have been trapped in the collapsed building.

She also confirmed that the FCT Emergency Management Department, National Emergency Management Agency, FCT Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, the Civil Defense Corps, and the Nigeria Police were on the ground at the incident scene.

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The collapsed building contained 45 self-contained rooms. It was previously used as a hotel before it was converted for residential purposes.

Meanwhile, the Ag Director General of FEMD, Mrs Florence Dawon Wenegieme who is at the incident scene says search and rescue efforts are ongoing until the last person is removed, if at all there is still someone trapped in the rubble.

Mrs Wenegieme appealed to developers to follow strictly the building code and avoid the use of substandard materials.

Meahwhile, Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau has shut down The Saints Academy School, Jos, whose block of classrooms collapsed on Friday, killing scores and leaving many others injured.

A visibly angry Mutfwang cited crass negligence by its owners as reason for the shut-down order.

22 persons were confirmed dead with about 145 injured when the one-storey building collapsed on the students who were writing their examinations.

Mutfwang, who inspected the location where the incident occurred, and visited some casualties on Saturday, said the disaster would have been avoided if the school owners had complied with building laws.

“It’s unfortunate that this has happened but, of course, we cannot allow the school to function. The school is hereby closed down immediately; we cannot take any further chances.

“We need to send this message, particularly to owners of private schools, that the drive for profit must not overshadow the safety of lives.

“We are going to carry out a technical audit of all the schools, including public schools; we are going to test structural integrity to ensure that human beings can inhabit buildings there.

“We are going to set up a very high-powered committee to investigate this incident. We are going to bring in building professionals to investigate this and anyone found culpable will certainly face the wrath of the law,” he said.