Several persons are feared trapped after a hotel building identified as Ugo West Hotel, still under construction, collapsed in the Jikwoyi area of Abuja on Friday, sparking panic and a frantic rescue effort.
The incident, which occurred in the fast-growing suburb, drew crowds of shocked residents and passersby who rushed to the scene moments after the structure suddenly caved in. Eyewitnesses said the building gave way without warning, trapping workers and possibly other occupants beneath heaps of concrete and twisted metal.
One resident described the scene as chaotic as people scrambled to understand what had happened.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact number of victims—those trapped, injured or possibly dead—remains unclear. However, fears are mounting that casualties could be significant given the number of workers reportedly on site at the time of the collapse.
Before the arrival of emergency responders, local volunteers took matters into their own hands, using bare hands and rudimentary tools to dig through the debris in desperate attempts to reach those believed to be alive beneath the rubble.
Rescue agencies are expected to intensify operations as they arrive, while authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the collapse, raising fresh concerns over building safety standards in the area. GWG.NG
