Nine victims evacuated, as rescue operations resume in Abuja collapsed building

The Federal Fire Service has concluded arrangements to resume rescue operations at the site of the collapsed four-storey building at Dape in Life Camp, Abuja, on Tuesday at 8 am.

Recall that a four-storey building which was said to be a hotel under construction, collapsed around 4 pm on Monday, trapping an undisclosed number of persons, including site engineers and labourers in the rubble, but emergency operations led to evacuation of nine victims so far.

A Superintendent of Fire, from the FCT fire service, Emeribe David said at the scene of the disaster, that all the agencies involved in emergency response had agreed to resume the rescue operation on Tuesday morning.

The superintendent of fire, who led the team of other firemen to the site of the collapsed building explained that the fire service received a distress call around 4. pm on Monday and responded promptly by getting to the site some 15 minutes later.

Eberibe David said that his team, in collaboration with agencies which include the FCT Emergency Management Agency, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Emergency Management Agency, and security agencies, among others will work together to save the lives of the people trapped in the wreckage.

He concluded by saying that, “We do not know the number of people that were trapped, but we will figure that out when we continue the operations in the morning.”

But earlier, the Director-General of FEMA, Abass Idris, had informed that nine persons have so far been rescued as of 7:44 pm on Monday.

A security source also said that, all the agencies working together in the operation suspended their operation on the site around 10 pm, but security officials were present to guard the site.