By Olawumi Oyehan
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered free medical treatment for casualties from a three-storey building that collapsed in Abuja on Saturday, leaving five people dead.
A three-storey building, under construction, had collapsed in Durumi 3 area, near Gudu Market, Abuja early on Saturday morning.
The Mandate Secretary, FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed this when she visited the site.
Fasawe noted that rescue operations were still ongoing as emergency responders continued efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubbles.
In a dramatic rescue operation, one of the victims was pulled out alive after spending more than nine hours trapped under the debris.
Fasawe, who was at the scene, personally attended to the survivor immediately after he was rescued before he was moved to the hospital for further treatment.
The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) had said, in a statement, that the building, behind Gudu Market was under construction when it collapsed at 8:30 a.m., killing five persons while 11 others sustained injuries.
In the statement signed by the department’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nkechi Isa, the FEMD said that its search and rescue team had so far rescued 16 persons.
It added that 11 of the survivors have been taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, Asokoro District Hospital and Maitama Hospital for treatment.
The department added that most of the persons trapped in the rubbles were labourers.
It said that other emergency personnel, including: the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, FCT Police Command were on ground to carry out search and rescue while anxious residents looked on.
“Also at the scene were personnel of the Nigerian Army, Federal Road Safety Corps, FCT Emergency Medical Services, and health officers from Wuse District Hospital,” it said.