Contrary to initial impression of no casualties in last Saturday’s Abuja building collapse, seven persons have been confirmed dead in the mishap.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Contrary to initial impression of no casualties in last Saturday’s Abuja building collapse, seven persons have been confirmed dead in the mishap.
The accident which happed in Vidaz Estate, within the Sabon Lugbe extension, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) involved an uncompleted storey building.
The Federal Capital Territory FCT Emergency Management Department, (FEMD), disclosed the figure of the dead on Sunday. FEMD equally dismissed earlier media reports that 40 persons were trapped in the rubble.
Sympathizers and emergency workers were still on-site, working to rescue those still caught beneath the debris, by Monday morning.
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According to findings, the building, reportedly under construction, collapsed in the early hours of Saturday, prompting calls for immediate intervention from government agencies and emergency response teams.
A statement issued on Sunday by FEMD Head Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa said: “FEMD wishes to clarify that the said structure located at Gidash Estate was one of the buildings earmarked for removal by the Department of Development Control.
“In a statement at the incident site, the Ag. Director General of FEMD, Abdulrahman Mohammed said seven persons who were scavenging for iron rods and other building materials lost their lives in the process.
“What happened is that the structure was marked for removal by development control. So these boys taking advantage of the fact that there would be no demolition exercise at Weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillar holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incident”.
Abdulrahman said Chairman Miyetti Allah, FCT chapter, Mohammed Hussein confirmed that remains of five members of the association were removed from the rubble.