At least, three persons were reported dead and four others injured when a two-storey shopping complex under construction collapsed in Owode-Ede community located within Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State.
According to reports, panic swept through the neighborhood as concrete and twisted iron came crashing down late Friday night, burying workers who had remained inside the incomplete structure to prepare for the next day’s labour
Reacting to the tragic incident, the Osun State Commandant of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Femi Isaac, who confirmed the report on Saturday,, added that emergency workers rushed to the site after a distress call came from the Divisional Police Officer of ‘A’ Division around 11:00 PM on Friday..
He said the distress signal led the Service to launch an immediate emergency and recovery operation to rescue the victims, identified as tiling apprentices working on the shopping complex, adding that their supervisor was not with them when the building collapsed.
“Three people died and their bodies have been taken to the mortuary, while five were rescued alive and taken to a private hospital in Ede. Four sustained serious injuries. Some of them fractured their legs and hands. Only one person who did not sleep early escaped unhurt,” Isaac said.
He said the workers had noticed that the building was not strong before the collapse, adding that the most senior apprentice told rescuers that he had warned the others against sleeping on the upper floor shortly before the structure gave way.
The Fire Service State Commandant disclosed that the rescue operation was a combined effort involving police operatives and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
Also speaking on the incident, some community members told reporters on Saturday that a loud noise was heard coming from the building shortly before 11pm which attracted the attention of people in the neighbourhood.
One of them identified as Mr John, said three bodies were recovered from the wreckage, while the injured victims were immediately rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention.
Recounting his experience, he said: “I live in the neighbourhood where the collapsed building is located. It’s a two-storey building. Three dead bodies were recovered from the rubble. Some other people were also injured. From what we heard, those killed and the others injured slept in the building.”
John explained that operatives of the Federal Fire Service and the police arrived shortly after the unfortunate incident to immediately commence the search and rescue operations until the early hours of Saturday.
Available information indicate that the owner of the collapsed structure lives close to the site and was seen in a very sad mood as emergency workers and security personnel continued with the rescue operation.
