All victims of Abuja building collapse rescued – Police

The Commissioner of Police (CP), FCT Command, Benneth Igweh, says all the victims of the two-storey building that collapsed in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT, in the early hour of Saturday were rescued alive. Igweh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the rescue team was able to go down the rubbles to ascertain […]

The Commissioner of Police (CP), FCT Command, Benneth Igweh, says all the victims of the two-storey building that collapsed in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT, in the early hour of Saturday were rescued alive.

Igweh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the rescue team was able to go down the rubbles to ascertain that all the trapped persons were evacuated.

He said four of the victims rushed to the hospital were stabilised, among whom, two had been discharged while one was rushed to the National Hospital for further medical care.

“I was one of the first persons to arrive here early this morning when the incident happened. We ensured that all trapped victims were rescued alive. We thank God that there was no death.

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“I thank the rescue teams, they have been very wonderful. We called them and they answered us.

“That is why we always tell the residents that when you see something, you say something and when you say something, we will do something.

“The prompt response was as a result of the people who called us that this building fell. We thank the Abuja residents for the promptness because that was what has ensured the rescue of the people,’’ he said

Igweh disclosed that the last victim rescued from the rubble, a corps member, would have died if not for the intervention of Zeberced, a private Engineering company.

“We called them and they mobilised to the site, you can see their equipment. That was what helped in the rescue because she was trapped under.’’

The Controller, FCT Fire Service, Zacchaeus Adebayo, said he received a distressed call on the incident at about 6:30am and he mobilised his men for rescue operations, promptly.

He, however, advised FCT residents to always be proactive in detecting dangers and alerting relevant agencies to it.

“That way, things will not get worse and we will begin to salvage the situation because prevention is the best.

“They should always raise the alarm whenever they notice anything wrong around them,’’ he said.

Mr Wilson Agbonta, a representative of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), said he was on ground to carry out investigation into what happened, in line with the policy of the council.

Agbonta said he observed that the building had failed, adding that when floras begin to grow on the walls of a building, it is a sign that the building has already failed and just awaiting collapse.

“This building has gone through three tenancies from hospital to hotel to residential. When this happens, we will not know how the dead and the life loads were managed.

“These are the investigations we need to carry out because when you increase the population of a house, it affects the building.

“So, we are trying to establish what the original function of this building was and who designed it, because there are consequences for change of use.

“Once an Architect handles a design, he will appoint other consultants approved, recognised and registered by the regulatory bodies in the course of the building.

“When construction is being done, it is the Architect’s job to coordinate the process.

“So, we need to find out, if an Architect was engaged and allowed to do his job, and who authorised the change of use of the building,” he said.

A two-storey building collapsed in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT, in the early hours of Saturday.

The building, located beside Cupid Hotel, Sultan Dasuki Road, Phase 2, Site 2, Kubwa, reportedly contained 45 self-contained rooms,

The building, previously used as a hotel, was converted to a hospital before it was converted for residential purposes. (NAN)