Scores of people, according to residents, have died in the Sabon Gari region of Minna, Niger State, following the collapse of a one-story warehouse, with many others trapped inside the structure.
It was reported that two trailer loads of soft drinks were being unloaded, with over 50 individuals inside the warehouse, when the collapse occurred on Friday at the bustling Kasuwan Gwari Market.
An eyewitness who spoke to The PUNCH, Aliyu Umaru, recounted that concerned citizens swiftly gathered around the collapsed building to aid in the rescue efforts for the injured and trapped victims.
Umaru described the harrowing scene, mentioning that some individuals were rescued lifeless, while others with severe injuries were promptly taken to the hospital in critical condition. He expressed doubts about the survival of one particular victim who was struggling for breath as he was being transported to the medical facility.
Umaru disclosed that the building, originally a residential structure, had been converted into a warehouse by its owner, a native of Kano State, without implementing the necessary modifications to suit its new purpose.
However, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement but argued that no fatalities had occurred at the time of the incident report.
The Director General of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to journalists on Friday night and said the building would be demolished.
Baba-Arah also said no approval was received for the conversion of the building from a residential property to a warehouse.
“NSEMA received a distress call at 3:15 pm. of a building collapse at Sabon Gari area of Minna. The agency quickly alerted responding agencies for search and rescue operations.
“The search and rescue operations were conducted under the leadership of NSEMA, NEMA, State Urban Development Board, and State Environmental Protection Agency in conjunction with the Federal Fire service, The police, NSCDC, NDLEA, The Redcross, Vigilant groups and some volunteers.
“As at the time of filing this report, no life was lost, 5 people were rescued with various degrees of injuries, while 2 people escaped unhurt. An excavator was brought in to help in clearing the debris for possible entrapment, NEMA also brought life-dictating gadgets, but after intensive searching for about 3 hours, no one was trapped,” Baba-Arah said.
NSEMA revealed that its investigation revealed that following the search and rescue efforts, it was uncovered that the multi-story building was originally intended for residential use but was subsequently repurposed as a warehouse.
“The owner has no approval for a change of purpose, and it was also poorly constructed with substandard materials. The warehouse was full to the brim with soft drinks from about 25 trucks, which overpowered the structure that led to its collapse,” NSEMA noted, adding that the State Urban Development Board has ordered for complete demolition of the structure.
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