Search, rescue continue at Gwarinpa building collapse site – FEMA

The FCT Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, has said the ongoing search and rescue for persons trapped in the debris of a collapsed three-storey building at 4th Avenue, Gwarimpa, have entered the second day.

It was reported that the building, under construction, went down at about 11 a.m. on Thursday, trapping an unspecified number of construction workers.

The agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nkechi Isa, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said as of this morning, 21 persons were rescued alive, while three others were removed from the rubble fatally injured.

Mrs. Isa said that the rescue team, comprising FEMA, NEMA, Red Cross, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and some construction companies are on the ground combing for victims.

She said during a visit to the site of the incident, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammed Bello, commiserated with the families of the victims and residents of the FCT over the unfortunate incident.

Represented by the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, Shehu Ahmad, Bello said, “this is coming at a time when we are all trying as a nation to come out of this worrisome situation of building collapse.

“These are issues which the FCT environment was not prominent with, but because of some activities of quackery, this has come into the FCT and the FCT is not too happy with these happenings.”

The minister noted that it was the third time such an incident happened at Gwarinpa Estate.

He stated that the FCTA would stop at no limit to identify those involved in the unfortunate development.

“Preliminary report indicates that the land area where this property was standing doesn’t look well and stabilised. There is the presumption of inferior materials in the construction and workmanship.

“To this, the FCTA will take very seriously and engage the agencies involved to find a lasting solution to this type of embarrassment,” he added.