House collapses in Abuja, two rescued
A duplex under construction collapsed in Abuja on Saturday and trapped two occupants.
The tragedy struck at the Prince and Princess Estate in the Gudu District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
D’Gallery gathered that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had rescued the victims.
The Head of Public Affairs at FEMA, Nkechi Isa, who disclosed this in a statement, reiterated the agency’s dedication to ensuring safety of lives and property in the FCT.
Eyewitnesses said that the building had earlier shown signs of weariness before it came down.
The workers have, since, evacuated the site.
While explaining how the two occupants were rescued, Isa noted that FEMA received a distress call and immediately deployed its search and rescue team in collaboration with the NEMA FCT Fire Service.
“The team worked tirelessly to rescue the trapped occupants.
They eventually cut through the window protectors to reach them,” she said.
“We are grateful that we were able to rescue the two persons alive,” she added.
Isa, however, appealed to developers and individuals to observe building codes and carry out integrity tests on existing buildings before renovation or building a house.
“It is crucial to employ professionals and provide protective wear for on-site workers to ensure safety. We also urge developers to provide insurance coverage for both the building and workers on site,” she added.
