Four members of the same family have died while four others were rescued after a three-storey building collapsed in Popo Giwa, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday morning.
According to Punch, the building at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque, collapsed at about 5am. At that time, eight members of the family were initially trapped beneath the rubble.
Four rescued from Kwara building collapse
Emergency responders rushed to the scene and began searching through the debris. Later, an excavator was deployed to help reach those trapped underneath.
One of the survivors was identified as Firdaus, described as the second-to-last child in the family.
The Kwara State Fire Service later confirmed that four people were brought out alive while four others died.
“We have recovered four people dead and rescued four people alive,” Fire Service spokesperson Hassan Adekunle said.
He explained that the agency received a distress call at about 5am and immediately deployed personnel to the scene.
“This kind of situation is not something the fire service can handle alone,” Adekunle said, noting that other emergency and security agencies joined the operation.
Survivors taken to hospital
The Kwara State Emergency Management Agency also confirmed that eight people were trapped in the building.
SEMA Secretary Magaji Saadudeen said the survivors had been evacuated for treatment.
“The rescued persons are receiving treatment presently,” he said.
Ambulances were deployed to the scene as officials from the Hospitals Management Board, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross and other agencies assisted with the rescue effort.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi said preliminary findings showed that the collapsed section was the boys’ quarters of the three-storey building.
“For now, the situation is under control,” Adekimi said, adding that occupants had been evacuated from the remaining part of the structure. Furthermore, he noted further assessment was carried out.
Cause of collapse under investigation
Authorities had yet to establish what caused the building to collapse.
Adekunle said a proper structural assessment would be conducted before officials determine whether any remaining section should be demolished.
Representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the scene, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Lawal Olohungbebe described the incident as unfortunate. He also commiserated with the affected family.
He also stressed the importance of preserving access roads around residential buildings. According to him, the availability of a clear route helped emergency responders reach the scene quickly.
“One of the things that made it very easy for us to rescue the few people we were able to rescue is the access route,” Olohungbebe said.
Residents urged to heed warning signs
Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area, AbdulRahman Babatunde Ladan, urged residents to take structural defects seriously. He advised them to leave buildings once they notice signs that could indicate danger.
“Whenever you discover something like this, please escalate it,” he said.
“Get to the point of evacuating yourself and your family members from that building. Life is the priority.”
Authorities also advised developers to use quality construction materials and qualified professionals while complying with approved building and town-planning standards.
Investigations and structural assessments are continuing to determine the cause of the collapse.
