A two-storey building under construction on Sultan Road in Kano collapsed on Friday morning, killing one person and injuring four others after trapping five people beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred at about 9 a.m., prompting a rescue operation involving residents, passersby and emergency responders.
A construction worker at the site, Aliyu Ibrahim Baba, said the collapse happened shortly after workers noticed signs that the structure was failing.
“I had just arrived and was eating my breakfast before I began work. I heard a noise and went upstairs to check. I saw the caretaker wetting the part of the building we worked on yesterday, so I left and continued eating,” he said.
“Suddenly, sand particles started raining down on me and entered my eyes. One of my co-workers went to check on the caretaker upstairs. There were three people at the door when the building suddenly gave way. We barely managed to run out, but five people were trapped under the rubble. They have all been rescued and taken to the hospital.”
Baba credited the swift response of residents for saving lives. “People rushed to help us even before the fire service arrived, and that made a huge difference in getting the victims out alive. They are all at the hospital, but I have been hearing rumours that one person died. I couldn’t confirm it at the time,” he added.
The Executive Secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Isyaku Abdullahi Kubaraci, later confirmed that one of the rescued victims died.
“Fortunately, four people survived, and only had one casualty. We have handed over the body of the deceased to his family members. I have to commend the neighbours and passersby who assisted in the rescue operation, and we send our condolences to the family of the deceased,” Kubaraci told journalists.
He said the four survivors sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to Sir Muhammadu Sanusi Hospital in Kano for treatment.
Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the building collapse.
