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 part of the entrance canopy under construction collapsed.
The incident happened on Friday when a section of the cantilevered entrance canopy suddenly gave way, trapping workers at the project site. Rescue teams were quickly deployed to remove those caught beneath the fallen structure.
The Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Danladi Adamu.
The ministry said emergency response measures were put in place immediately after the collapse to save the affected workers.
According to the ministry, five of the injured workers are receiving treatment at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while two others are being treated at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe.
The identities of the injured workers and the deceased have not yet been made public.
Following the accident, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed sympathy to the family of the worker who lost his life.
He also directed the state government to cover the medical expenses of all those receiving treatment.
The governor ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of the structural failure.
He instructed the Ministry of Works to work with emergency response officials and engineering regulatory bodies to determine what led to the collapse.
The state government also directed those handling the project to cooperate fully with investigators. Officials said a preliminary report would be prepared before a more detailed technical review is carried out to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Authorities explained that the collapsed structure was a cantilevered entrance canopy, a type of design supported at only one end and requiring careful engineering calculations during construction.
Although investigators have not yet established what caused the collapse, the government said anyone found responsible for negligence or the use of poor-quality materials would be held accountable in line with the outcome of the investigation.
The government also said it remains committed to ensuring that all public construction projects meet approved safety, engineering and quality standards.
Meanwhile, construction work has been suspended in the affected section of the assembly complex as engineers and technical experts continue examining the collapsed structure and gathering evidence for the investigation.
