Heavy-duty equipment, including an excavator and payloader belonging to Zeberced Construction Company, was deployed to the scene to clear the debris from the collapsed structure.
The Head of Search and Rescue of the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Mr. Monday Adie, has confirmed that no casualties were recorded in the incident.
According to him, excavation operations were initially delayed to allow occupants of the building sufficient time to salvage their personal belongings and other valuables.
Mr. Adie further disclosed that through the combined efforts of security agencies and volunteers at the scene, approximately 90 per cent of the occupants' properties were successfully salvaged before excavation and demolition operations commenced.
The three-storey building, which served both commercial and residential purposes, had earlier been identified as structurally unsafe.
It would be recalled that the FCTA Department of Development Control had marked the building for demolition following the collapse of one of the pillars supporting the structure. The Department had also issued notices to the occupants to evacuate the building due to the danger posed by its structural condition.
The FCTA reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property and will continue to work with relevant agencies and stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with building regulations and safety standards across the Federal Capital Territory.
Agencies present at the scene included the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, FCT Police Command, Department of Development Control, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Health and Environment Secretariat.
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