JUST IN: Two severely injured, 37 rescued as plaza collapses in Abuja

A two-storey plaza located at Lagos Street, Garki Village in the Garki District of Abuja has collapsed.

It was gathered that the building collapsed late Wednesday night amid heavy downpours.

Emergency officials said 37 people have been rescued, with two of them “fatally injured”.

They said rescue operations had been slow over the night as there was no immediate access to an excavator and rescue efforts were purely manual.

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Confirming the development, Director General of FCT Emergency Management Agency FEMA, Dr Abbas Idriss said 37 persons had so far been rescued at the scene of the collapsed structure.

He said the victims have been evacuated to various medical facilities in Abuja.

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“Thirty-seven persons have so far been rescued and evacuated to hospital, others reportedly still trapped. The rescue team and others are on the ground. Rescue operations are on but slowly due to ongoing rain”. They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble”, he added.

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The DG commended the efforts of all stakeholders working hard manually to rescue trapped persons, including members of the community.

He revealed that the rescue mission continues while they await the arrival of equipment to enhance the operations.