Many are feared trapped in a collapsed two-storey residential building located beside the Cupid Hotel on Cupid Road (Sultan Dasuki Way) Phase 2, Site 2 in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, The building was formerly Al-Halal hotel.
It later became a hospital, but since the hospital owners quit the premises, it became a residential apartment with about 45 self-contained rooms. Federal Fire Service personnel, who were the site’s first responders, were seen trying to activate other emergency and security services.
Two persons were initially rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital, many others were said to have escaped on their own. Also, apart from a lady who packed out of the apartment on Friday, some of the occupants escaped the incident as they had gone out for early morning exercises.
One of the escapees who did not want to reveal her identity said that when she woke up some minutes before 7 a.m and came out of her section of the building, she began hearing some cracks and then ran out.
Most of those who escaped were those on the upper floors, while those on the ground floor were largely trapped.
The incident, however, took a dramatic twist when some occupants of the building said another female occupant was still in her room as her boyfriend had fled at the first signs of the cracks.
In a statement later on, the Federal Capital Territory FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) said it was notified of the incident by passersby and also received a distress call on the 112 emergency toll-free number at about 6:45 a.m. Head, Public Affairs at the department, Nkechi Isa, said two of the four rescued victims were immediately taken to the Kubwa General Hospital. She said, “Efforts are ongoing to search for any other person that may be trapped in the collapsed building”.
Kubwa Building Collapse; Many trapped.
