22 Dead, 132 Injured in Plateau School Building Collapse – TrendyNewsReporters

UPDATED: 22 dead, 132 injured in Plateau school building collapse

Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communications Musa Ashoms said this in a statement on Friday evening. “As of 6:00 p.m., 154 people have been rescued from the debris. Sadly, 22 individuals have been confirmed deceased,” the statement read.

“Injured students and staff are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals in Jos.” Ashoms had earlier visited the scene of the collapsed two-storey structure and said that while the school had a population of 400 students, the section that was affected had about 200. He said rescuers had taken survivors to hospital.

“To ensure prompt medical care, the government has ordered all major hospitals in Jos to prioritize the treatment of victims, regardless of documentation or payment,” the commissioner said. “Governor Barrister Mutfwang has specifically ordered these hospitals to accommodate all those affected by the collapse. Bystanders gather near the ruins of a previously collapsed school in Jos, July 12, 2024, as heavy machinery is seen working on the site.

Ashom complained that the collapsed structure did not meet building standards and warned schools with similar structures to close. “You can see that it is on the river bank and from the visual assessment, you know it is not a very strong structure,” he said.

“We are asking other schools that have not followed the plans and that have similar problems to close in the interest of our state; in the interest of our people, because we have set up a committee that will take care of everything,” the commissioner said.

Construction disasters are common in Africa’s most populous nation due to poor enforcement of building codes, negligence and poor quality materials.

At least 45 people were killed in 2021 when a skyscraper under construction collapsed in the upscale Ikoyi neighborhood of Nigeria’s economic capital, Lagos. Ten people were killed when a three-story building collapsed in the Ebute-Metta area of ​​Lagos the following year. At least 152 buildings have collapsed in Lagos since 2005, according to a South African university researcher who investigates construction disasters. Poor workmanship, low-quality materials, and bribery to circumvent official oversight are often blamed