One Dead, Seven Injured In Gombe Assembly Complex Collapse

One construction worker has died while seven others sustained injuries following the collapse of a section of the new Gombe State House of Assembly complex.

The incident occurred at the project site on Friday when a portion of the entrance canopy under construction suddenly gave way, trapping some workers beneath the rubble.

Emergency responders subsequently evacuated the victims to medical facilities for treatment.

The Head of Operations at the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) Gombe Operations Office, Ummanah Ahmed, confirmed the casualty figure.

Ahmed said three injured workers were initially taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, while five victims were evacuated to the Gombe State Specialist Hospital.

He added that some of the workers sustained severe injuries.

Government Orders Investigation

The Gombe State Government subsequently ordered an immediate investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, Danladi Adamu, the government said the affected section was a cantilevered entrance canopy still under construction.

The government confirmed that the accident claimed one life and injured seven workers.

It said five of the injured workers were receiving treatment at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while two were being treated at the Federal Teaching Hospital.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya directed the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation to work with emergency, regulatory and technical agencies to begin safety and accountability procedures immediately.

The contractor handling the project and the supervising consultant were also directed to submit a formal incident report within 24 hours.

According to the government, they are expected to provide a preliminary investigation report before submitting a comprehensive technical report detailing their findings and recommendations.

The probe is expected to establish the immediate and underlying causes of the collapse and determine whether the required construction and safety standards were followed.

Yahaya extended his condolences to the deceased worker’s family and directed that the state government bear the full medical expenses of those injured in the incident.

The governor assured residents that the findings of the investigation would guide the government’s next steps.

The government said appropriate action would be taken in accordance with applicable engineering and safety regulations after the investigation was concluded.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing safety, quality and engineering standards in the execution of public infrastructure projects across the state.

The government added that further information on the incident would be released as verified details became available.