Three people have been killed and four others seriously injured following the collapse of a two-storey shopping complex under construction in Owode-Ede, Osun State.
The incident reportedly occurred around 11pm on Friday, trapping several tiling apprentices who were sleeping inside the building ahead of the following day’s work.
The Osun State Commandant of the Federal Fire Service, Femi Isaac, confirmed the casualties in a telephone interview with PUNCH Online on Saturday.
Isaac said the agency received a distress call from the Divisional Police Officer of A Division at about 11pm and immediately deployed personnel to the scene.
He explained that the victims were apprentices working on the shopping complex, adding that their supervisor was not present when the building collapsed.
He said, “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.”
The fire service commandant disclosed that the workers had reportedly noticed signs of structural weakness in the building before it collapsed.
According to him, the most senior apprentice told rescuers that he had warned his colleagues against sleeping on the upper floor shortly before the structure gave way.
Isaac added that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps also participated in the rescue operation.
Two residents of the community, who spoke with our correspondent on Saturday, said a loud noise from the building shortly before 11pm attracted the attention of people in the neighbourhood.
One of the residents, identified simply as John, said three bodies were recovered from the rubble, while the injured survivors were taken to hospital.
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 added that personnel of the Federal Fire Service and the police arrived shortly after the incident and continued search and rescue operations until the early hours of Saturday.
He also disclosed that the owner of the building, who lives close to the construction site, was present during the rescue operation.
