3 Die, 7 Injured As School Building Collapses In Zaria (Photos)

No fewer than three people have been killed, while seven others were injured following the collapse of a two-storey Islamiyya school building under construction at Unguwan Kaya, in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the incident occurred on Friday while construction work was ongoing at the building.

Speaking with NAN at the scene of the event, the Divisional Secretary, Nigerian Red Cross, Zaria branch, Malam Abdul-Muminu Adamu, said the incident was “unexpected and very frightening.”

“Shortly when the incident happened, a good Samaritan called and informed us and we reported at the scene immediately.

“When we came here, we were able to recover the bodies of two people and later recovered another body, while seven other people were rescued alive.

“The corpses of the deceased have been deposited at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika; while the injured persons are also responding to treatment at the same hospital,” he said.

The Director of the state fire service, Mr. Paul Fedelix-Aboi, described the incident as unfortunate, saying that the actual cause can only be ascertained after investigation.

He said though the rescue operation was not part of their mandate, they were in the area to render possible assistance to the victims.

The Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ben Kure, described the incident as sad and frightening.

Kure said that on receiving the report of the incident, men of the agency were mobilised to the site to render assistance.

He said work was still ongoing at the scene of the incident to remove all the concrete in case other victims were still trapped.

Kure said that the agency would, on Saturday, present assistance to the families of the deceased and the injured persons.