Many killed, scores trapped as school building collapses on children in Jos

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

Many school children were feared dead on Friday morning as a two-storey school building collapsed on them while classes were going on.

Unconfirmed reports say that 14 students have dead, while 78 were rescued. Several others sustained various degrees of injuries.

Our correspondent gathered that seven bodies were taken to Bingham Hospital Mortuary

Our correspondent gathered that the  students of the school, identified as Saint Academy, Busa Buji, in Apata area of Jos North Local Government area of Plateau state, were having their examination when the building caved in at about 11 am.

It was further gathered that more than 150 students were in four of the classrooms that collapsed.

As of the time of this report, efforts were being made to rescue students who were still trapped in the rumble. It was gathered that more of the dead and wounded were still being taken to the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (Jankwano), Our Lady of Apostles and Plateau State Specialist Hospital.

Parents and guardians are still searching for their wards as many are said to be unaccounted for.

A teacher in the school, Pastor Daniel, told our correspondent amidst sobs that they were in class when suddenly the entire building came down, trapping many students in the process.

Daniel, who said he teaches Christian Religious Studies, said many of those rescued were those on top of the building while those in the ground floor are yet unaccounted for.

At the hospital, our correspondent saw four corpses taken to the mortuary in stretchers while many more are being brought in ambulances.

There were wailings by parents and guardians who thronged the hospital to check on the fate of their wards.

A family was said to have lost four children in the unfortunate incident, while a man was seen rolling on the ground as he was yet to know the fate of his two children in the school.

It was gathered that seven corpses were deposited at Bingham Hospital, seven at Plateau Specialist Hospital and four at Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Hospital

The Principal of the School, Mr. Daramola Ekundayo, described the incident as pathetic and unfortunate.

Speaking to newsmen at the scene of the incident, Ekundayo said, “Well, it’s so pathetic, so unfortunate, and so heartbreaking. I was actually in the office when I was called upon that the building is collapsing.

“But the fact is that, as of yesterday, we all departed very well at around 3:30pm without any problem. And nobody actually had the intention that such things would happen. So it’s so unfortunate that it happened.

“It actually happened around 11am. That’s just past 11 when the shocking news actually took place.”

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Musa Ashoms, described the incident as unfortunate.

Ashoms, who spoke to newsmen at the site of the incident, said that about 120 people were trapped while many have been rescued.

The Commissioner said that the proprietor of the school would be investigated to ascertain whether the necessary approvals were given before the construction of the building.

He said: “As you can see from the look of things, the building is in a wrong location. There’s a riverbank at the back of the building and it’s obvious that the bank must have effected the foundation.

“We are going to commission an inquiry into this incident to get to the root of what happened.

“The land here is waterlogged, and it is evident that building in such an environment requires collaboration with the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) to ensure proper construction standards are met.”

In a statement released later in the evening, the Commissioner expressed deep sadness over the tragic incident.

“To ensure prompt medical attention, the government has instructed hospitals to prioritize treatment without documentation or payment. The Commissioner of Health has also ordered all major hospitals in Jos to attend to the victims.

“Approximately 120 people were trapped, with many evacuated. The government emphasizes the importance of adhering to safety standards, making Executive Order 003 sacrosanct. Schools with similar issues are urged to close down, enabling the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) to prevent future incidents.

“The government commiserates with affected families and stresses the need for clearance from the JMDB for any structure to be erected the state. This incident highlights the importance of prioritizing safety standards to prevent tragedies and ensure the well-being of citizens, especially children.