A tragic incident occurred in Abuja early Saturday morning when a residential apartment building, formerly a hotel and hospital, partially collapsed, trapping numerous residents under the debris.
Located beside Cupid Hotel on Cupid Road (Sultan Dasuki Way) in Kubwa, the building, which had been a residential space since the hospital vacated, came crashing down around 6:30 am. Despite the swift response of emergency responders and security personnel, the rescue efforts were hindered by the lack of necessary equipment.
As of 8:45 am, the cranes needed to move the heavy rubble had not arrived, slowing down the rescue operations. Two individuals were rescued and rushed to a nearby medical facility, while some residents managed to escape on their own. An anonymous escapee reported hearing cracking sounds around 7 am, prompting her to flee the building.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar tragedy in Jos, Plateau state capital, where a school building collapsed during a third term examination, resulting in 22 fatalities and 132 injuries. The Plateau State Government has confirmed the casualties and expressed deep sadness over the avoidable tragedy.
