Two children were rescued on Thursday after a two-storey residential building collapsed in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, prompting an emergency response and renewed warnings over structural safety.
The incident occurred at about 9:10 a.m. on Ajegunle Street, off Sabo-Line in the Isale area, involving a six-flat residential building.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, the agency confirmed that two children were initially trapped beneath the rubble but were rescued before firefighters arrived at the scene.
“It was reported that two children, Ahmad (8 years) and Hussainat (10 years) were trapped but were rescued and taken to the nearest hospital before the arrival of the Fire Service,” Hassan said.
“Firefighters immediately commenced salvage operations, recovering essential belongings including clothes, electronics, food items, and important documents from accessible areas of the building,” he added.
Following an on-site inspection, the Fire Service expressed concerns over the stability of nearby structures and advised urgent preventive action to avert further incidents.
“Following an on-site assessment, the Kwara State Fire Service recommended to the Disaster Management Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to seal off the collapsed structure and issue a seven-day ultimatum to occupants of an adjacent building found to be structurally unsafe and unfit for habitation,” the spokesperson noted.
The Disaster Management unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) reportedly acted promptly on the recommendation by sealing off the affected building and enforcing an evacuation notice on the neighbouring property.
Authorities also revealed that prior warnings had been issued regarding the deteriorating condition of the building before its collapse.
“It was further gathered that the caretaker of the collapsed building had previously been notified about the deteriorating condition of the structure prior to the incident,” Hassan said.
The Director of the Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, was present at the scene to oversee operations and coordinate with other emergency responders.
He urged property owners and residents to conduct regular structural integrity checks, pay attention to warning signs such as cracks or weaknesses, and take immediate remedial action when defects are identified.
He stressed that timely intervention could prevent avoidable disasters and save lives, while reaffirming the agency’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.