One person was rescued after a building under construction in Abuja’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) partially collapsed.
According to reports, the incident occurred on Saturday in the nation’s capital’s Central Business District, next to Taj Bank.
This was disclosed in a statement by the spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Nkechi Isa, who said the agency was informed about the collapse one hour after the construction workers “unsuccessfully tried to rescue their trapped colleague to no avail”.
It is, however, unclear the cause of the partial collapse of the building.
A team from FEMA and the FCT fire service were “able to rescue the trapped man with the aid of extrication equipment and the construction company’s excavator,” she said.
“The victim was part of labourers casting the first floor of the building when the entire cast fell on him,” the statement read.
According to Isa, the victim is currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.
Visiting the site, FEMA’s acting director-general, Mohammed Sabo, cautioned developers to always adhere to the building codes and standards.
He called on construction companies and developers to avoid the use of substandard materials or cut corners during construction.
“They should prioritise the safety of their workers during construction and that of the ultimate consumers who are the future occupants of the building,” Sabo added.