19 rescued as shopping mall under construction collapses in Abuja (updated)

Nineteen persons have been rescued from the rubble of a collapsed three-storey building under construction in Abuja.

Earlier on Thursday, after the building collapse, Ikharo Attah, the senior special assistant to the federal capital territory (FCT) minister on monitoring, inspection, and enforcement, said seven persons were rescued.

Attah had, however, said many persons were still feared trapped under the rubble of the building — a shopping mall under construction in the 7th avenue area of Gwarimpa in Abuja.

“As of 2:41pm on Thursday, we have rescued seven persons. Out of the seven, five looked stable while two have been taken to the hospital due to their unstable condition,” Attah said.

“So, many of them are still there. Many of them are still calling their relatives under the rubble.”

In a statement hours later, the FCT emergency management agency said a total of 19 persons had been rescued.

“A combined team of FEMA, NEMA, FRSC, Nigeria Police, Civil Defence Corps, and the Abuja Metropolitan Management Agency are at the scene of the incident to rescue the persons trapped in the rubble of the collapsed building,” a statement by Nkechi Isa, spokesperson of the agency, reads.

“Some construction companies with heavy-duty equipment were also part of the rescue efforts.”

Isa added that the victims have been taken to hospitals in Wuse, Gwarimpa, and Asokoro.”