Photo: Unrelated photo of a building collapse
Two children were rescued on Thursday after a two-storey residential building collapsed in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, triggering emergency response efforts and renewed concerns over structural safety.
The incident occurred around 9:10 a.m. on Ajegunle Street, off Sabo-Line in the Isale area, involving a six-flat building. According to the Kwara State Fire Service, two children identified as Ahmad, 8, and Hussainat, 10, were initially trapped under the rubble but were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital before firefighters arrived at the scene.
Spokesperson of the agency, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed that emergency responders immediately commenced salvage operations upon arrival, recovering valuables such as clothing, electronics, food items, and important documents from accessible parts of the collapsed structure.
Following an on-site assessment, the Fire Service raised alarm over the safety of surrounding buildings and recommended urgent preventive action. The agency advised the Disaster Management Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to seal off the collapsed structure and issue a seven-day ultimatum to occupants of a neighbouring building found to be structurally unsafe.
The NSCDC Disaster Management unit was said to have promptly enforced the directive by sealing the affected building and evacuating residents from the adjoining structure.
Authorities also revealed that prior warnings had been issued regarding the deteriorating condition of the building before the collapse. The caretaker had reportedly been notified of the structural defects, but no corrective action was taken.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, who was present at the scene, supervised the rescue and coordinated response efforts with other emergency agencies.
He urged property owners and residents to conduct regular structural integrity checks, pay attention to warning signs such as cracks and weaknesses, and take swift action when defects are identified, stressing that proactive measures could prevent avoidable disasters and save lives.
