3 rescued as 4-storey building collapses in Abuja

A four-storey building has collapsed in the Garki Area of Abuja, leaving some persons trapped.

Eye witnesses said the four storey building attached to the Westbrook Hotel, Garki Area 11, collapsed around 8:32 pm on Monday, after some laborers had closed for work for the day.

A resident of Garki, Joseph Habila, said the collapsed of the building caused serious pandemonium among residents due to the sound that emanated from the building.

“In fact, it was even God that saved me because I went to a shop near the building to buy some items, just few minutes I left the area, when the building collapsed,” he said.

Habila said security personnel who visited the scene were able to rescue some of the trapped victims, even as he said he could not ascertain numbers of those rescued from the debris.

Meanwhile, the FCT police command has confirmed the collapsed of the four storey building, in which it said three persons were rescued.

A statement by the spokeswoman of the command, SP Adeh Josephine, on Tuesday, said the police received a distress call  at about 8:40 pm.

She said police commissioner, CP Benneth Igweh, upon receiving the distress call immediately led some of his men to the scene to cordoned-off the area for possible rescue.

According to her, three victims were successfully evacuated from the collapsed building and rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

Adeh also said the attention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the management of the FCT development control had been drawn to the collapsed building.

“And the personnel of both FCT NEMA and development control have taken charge of the area for robust management of the scene,” she added.

She said further developments will be appropriately communicated to the public in due course.