Updated: Building collapse kills four, four rescued in Ilorin
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Four people have been confirmed dead after a two-storey building collapsed in the Popo-Giwa/Abemi area of Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday morning.
The Kwara State Fire Service said eight people were trapped after eight rooms of the approximately 26-room building collapsed at about 5:08 a.m.
Four victims were rescued alive while four others were recovered from the rubble and suspected to be dead.
The victims were identified as Muhammed Bolakale, 55; Fasilat, 53; Mistura, 28; Barakat, 26; Zainab, 23; Hajia, 15; Muqtar, 7; and Fridaos, 10.
The Fire Service said its personnel immediately commenced search-and-rescue operations upon arrival at the scene, working under difficult conditions to locate those trapped beneath the debris.
The operation was supported by the Federal Fire Service, NSCDC Disaster Management Department, emergency ambulance services, Hospital Management Bureau, SEMA, NEMA, KWARTMA, police, Life Glide Ambulance, Nigerian Red Cross Society and the Ministry of Environment.
Two excavators were also deployed to assist in removing debris and gaining access to areas where victims were believed to be trapped.
The Fire Service said its assessment of the structure indicated that it was unsafe and unfit for habitation, as it appeared unable to withstand the pressure on its structural components.
The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, commended the firefighters and other responding agencies for their efforts during the rescue operation.
He urged residents to report visible cracks, structural weaknesses and other signs that could indicate that a building is unsafe, while advising property owners to ensure their buildings are assessed and maintained by qualified professionals.
