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From Ogunniyi Taiwo, Ilorin
Four persons have died while four others were rescued alive after a two-storey building collapsed in Ilorin, Kwara State, yesterday.
The tragedy occurred at about 5:08 a.m. at Masalasi Gogoro, in the Popo-Giwa/Abemi area of Ilorin West Local Government, trapping eight occupants under the rubble.
The building, which reportedly contained about 26 rooms, had eight of the rooms collapse, leaving the occupants trapped beneath the debris.
Emergency responders immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation, during which four victims were pulled out alive, while the bodies of four others were recovered from the rubble.
The victims were identified as Muhammed Bolakale, 55; Fasilat, 53; Mistura, 28; Barakat, 26; Zainab, 23; Hajia, 15; Muqtar, seven; and Fridaos, 10.
The Kwara State Fire Service said its personnel worked under difficult conditions to locate and evacuate the victims trapped beneath the debris.
According to the service, preliminary observations indicated that the building was unsafe and unfit for habitation, apparently because it could no longer withstand pressure on its structural components.
Chief Fire Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, commended the firefighters for their courage, resilience and professionalism during the rescue operation.
He also praised the Federal Fire Service and other emergency agencies for their prompt response and cooperation in the operation.
The Federal Fire Service, Kwara State Command, worked alongside the state fire service, while personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Disaster Management Department, Emergency Ambulance Services, Hospital Management Bureau, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Kwara State Road Traffic Management Authority (KWARTMA), Nigeria Police Force, Life Glide Ambulance, Nigerian Red Cross Society and the Ministry of Environment supported the rescue operation.
Two excavators were deployed to clear the rubble and create access to sections of the collapsed building where victims were believed to be trapped.
The fire service urged residents to promptly report visible signs of structural weakness, including cracks and other indications that a building may be unsafe.
It also advised property owners to ensure that their buildings were regularly inspected and maintained by qualified professionals to prevent further loss of lives and property.
