Four persons have been confirmed dead after they were found trapped in a two-storey building that caved in at Masalasi Gogoro, Popo-Giwa/Abemi area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The building consisted of 26 rooms, out of which eight of the rooms collapsed while occupants were reportedly trapped when the incident occurred at about 5:00 am in the early hours of Tuesday.
It was learnt that eight bodies were evacuated from the debris.
While four of them were rescued alive, the others were believed to have died as a result of the impact of the disaster.
It was further learnt that two excavators were deployed to the scene of the incident for the removal of the debris and to ascertain whether others were still trapped in the collapsed building.
Residents gathered at the scene of the incident to lend support for the rescue operation.
The state fire service confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Ilorin declaring that a preliminary assessment of the building revealed that it was unsafe and unfit for habitation.
It said the building appeared unable to withstand the pressure exerted on its structural components.
The Public Relations Officer of the service, Hassan Adekunle, in the statement, listed those evacuated from the scene of the incident either alive or dead to include Muhammad Bolakale (55 years), Fadilat (53 years), Mishara (28 years), Barakat (26 years), Zainab (23 years), Haja (15 years), Muqtar (7 years) and Fridous (10 years).
The statement noted that operatives of the Federal Fire Service and others joined in the rescue operation.
It quoted the state Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, to have urged members of the public to report visible signs of structural weakness, cracks or other conditions that may indicate that a building is unsafe.
He also encouraged property owners to ensure that qualified professionals are recruited for proper assessment and maintenance of buildings.
Muhammed, however, commended the officers and men of the service for their heroic performance, resilience and professionalism in the face of a highly challenging rescue operation.
He also commended the Federal Fire Service and all sister agencies for their timely intervention and cooperation.
“The Kwara State Fire Service today demonstrated exceptional courage, professionalism and commitment to saving lives when it responded to a building collapse incident at Masalasi Gogoro, Popo-Giwa/Abemi Area, Ilorin West Local Government Area, at about 05:00hrs.
“The collapsed structure, located adjacent to Masalasi Gogoro, was a two-storey building comprising approximately 26 rooms.
“During the incident, eight rooms collapsed, trapping eight victims beneath the debris.
“Upon arrival, the men of the Kwara State Fire Service immediately commenced a painstaking search-and-rescue operation, working under extremely challenging conditions to locate and evacuate those trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
“Through the determination, bravery and professional expertise of the firefighters, four victims were successfully rescued alive, while four others were recovered and suspected to be deceased.
“From the professional assessment carried out at the scene, the structure was observed to be unsafe and unfit for habitation, as the building appeared unable to withstand the pressure exerted on its structural components.
“The Federal Fire Service, Kwara State Command, worked side-by-side with the Kwara State Fire Service throughout the rescue operation.
“This collaboration significantly strengthened the operational capacity of the responding firefighters and contributed to the swift rescue of victims,” the statement added.
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