A construction accident at the site of the new Gombe State House of Assembly Complex has claimed the life of one worker and left seven others injured after a section of the building collapsed.
The incident occurred on Friday when a cantilevered entrance canopy under construction suddenly gave way, trapping several workers beneath the debris.
The Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation confirmed the incident in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Danladi Adamu, saying emergency responders were immediately deployed to rescue those trapped.
According to the ministry, five of the injured workers are receiving treatment at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while two others were taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe. The identities of the victims have not yet been made public.
Reacting to the tragedy, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed condolences to the family of the deceased worker and directed the state government to cover the medical expenses of all injured victims.
The governor also ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of the structural collapse.
“The Governor has directed the Ministry of Works, alongside emergency and engineering regulatory agencies, to launch an immediate investigation into the structural failure,” the statement said.
The state government added that the investigation would include a preliminary report and a comprehensive technical review to determine what caused the collapse.
Officials noted that the affected structure was a cantilevered canopy, a design anchored at one end that requires precise engineering calculations during construction.
While the exact cause of the incident is yet to be established, the government warned that anyone found responsible for negligence or the use of substandard materials would face appropriate sanctions.
“The Gombe State Government remains firmly committed to ensuring strict compliance with safety, quality and engineering standards in the execution of all public infrastructure projects,” Adamu stated.
Construction activities have since been suspended in the affected section of the multi-million-naira project as engineers and investigators examine the site.
Source: Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation.
