Canopy collapse at Gombe Assembly complex kills one worker, injures seven

Canopy collapse at Gombe Assembly complex kills one worker, injures seven

By Auwal Ahmad Umar

One construction worker was killed and seven others injured on Friday after a section of the entrance canopy under construction at the new Gombe State House of Assembly Complex collapsed.

The victims were among workers at the site when the cantilevered canopy gave way, according to the Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation.

The ministry said the injured workers were immediately taken to hospital for treatment. Five are receiving care at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while two others were taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe.

In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Danladi Adamu, the state government confirmed the fatality and described the incident as unfortunate.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has been briefed on the development and expressed condolences to the family of the deceased. He also directed that the injured workers receive medical treatment at the government’s expense.

The governor further ordered an immediate investigation into the collapse, directing the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, alongside relevant emergency, regulatory and technical agencies, to commence safety and accountability procedures.

As part of the investigation, the contractor handling the project and the supervising consultant have been instructed to submit a formal incident report within 24 hours. They are also expected to provide a preliminary investigation report, followed by a comprehensive technical report detailing the cause of the collapse and recommendations to prevent a recurrence.

The state government said decisions on any further action would be based on the outcome of the investigation.

It reiterated its commitment to enforcing safety, quality and engineering standards in the execution of public infrastructure projects across the state and said additional information would be released as the investigation progresses.