By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

The Kwara State Fire Service successfully rescued two young children following the collapse of a building in Ilorin, the state capital, on Thursday morning.

The incident occurred at approximately 9:10 AM at Ajegunle Street, located off Sabo-Line in the Isale area. The structure was a two-storey building consisting of six separate flats.

The two children involved were identified as eight-year-old Ahmad and ten-year-old Hussainat. While they were trapped initially, they were successfully pulled from the rubble and rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention just before the fire service arrived at the scene.

Their current condition was not detailed, but the rescue was described as timely.

Upon their arrival, firefighters shifted their focus to salvage operations to help the affected families. They worked to recover essential household items from the accessible parts of the damaged building, including electronics, clothing, food supplies, and vital personal documents.

This effort aimed to mitigate the total loss experienced by the residents.

Following a professional assessment of the site, the Kwara State Fire Service determined that the remains of the structure were highly unstable. They recommended that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officially seal off the collapsed building to prevent further accidents. The NSCDC’s Disaster Management team acted immediately to enforce this safety measure.

Further investigations revealed that the collapse might have been preventable. Reports indicated that the caretaker of the building had been previously warned about the deteriorating state of the structure.

Additionally, an adjacent building was found to be structurally unfit for habitation, leading authorities to issue a seven-day evacuation ultimatum to its occupants.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, personally supervised the coordination between various emergency agencies at the scene. He emphasized the importance of property owners taking responsibility for the safety of their buildings. He urged landlords to conduct regular integrity tests to ensure their properties remain safe for residents.

In a final advisory, the Fire Service encouraged the public to stay vigilant and pay close attention to early warning signs such as wall cracks or structural weaknesses. The Director noted that immediate action upon identifying such defects is crucial to saving lives and preventing similar disasters in the future.