Four Workers, Teenager Die in Kano Building Collapses

Five people, including four workers and a 14-year-old student, have died after two buildings under construction collapsed in separate incidents in Kano State.

The Kano State Fire Service confirmed that 11 others were rescued from the collapsed structures in Gaida, Kumbotso Local Government Area, and Kurna, Fagge Local Government Area.

The Fire Service Director, Sani Anas, disclosed this in a statement signed by the service’s Public Relations Officer, Saminu Abdullahi, in Kano on Sunday.

According to him, the incidents occurred on Saturday afternoon.

Anas said the first incident was reported at about 2:34 p.m. after the service received a distress call from a police officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ahmed Sani, that a building had collapsed at Gaida.

He said firefighters were immediately deployed to the scene, where they found a building measuring approximately 50 feet by 50 feet with six workers trapped inside.

“Out of the six workers, two were rescued alive: Muhammad Hassan, 17, and Khalid Abubakar, 19,” he said.

The remaining four victims, according to the director, were rescued unconscious and rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, where doctors later confirmed them dead.

They were identified as Sunusi Siraju, 18; Bashir Ibrahim, 20; Ibrahim, 26; and Abubakar, 30.

Anas said the bodies were subsequently handed over to Inspector Adamu Garba of the Kofar Wambai Police Division.

He added that the cause of the collapse was under investigation.

In a separate incident at Kurna, behind a primary school in Fagge Local Government Area, an Islamiyya school building known as Khalid Idris Bala also collapsed.

The Fire Service said it received a distress call about the incident at approximately 2:40 p.m. from one Umar Sani and immediately mobilised personnel to the scene.

Anas said eight students were rescued alive, while another student was rescued unconscious and later pronounced dead.

The deceased was identified as Khadija Muhammad, 14.

The surviving students were identified as Hassana Issa, Usaina Issa and Zuleyhat M. Gambu, all aged 13; Nawara Yahya, Nuseiba Issa and Hasia Munir, all 12; Khadija Issa, 15; and Hadiza Haruna, 12.

The rescued victims were later handed over to the school’s headmaster, Muhammad Gambu-Usman.

The Fire Service said investigations were ongoing to determine the causes of both building collapses.

Anas urged building owners, contractors and construction workers to adhere strictly to approved building standards and observe all necessary safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.

He stressed that compliance with construction regulations remained critical to reducing the risk of building failures and loss of lives.