The National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) said about 9 bodies have been recovered so far from a gas explosion that occurred along Court Road in Sabon Gari, Kano State on Tuesday.
The explosion as gathered occurred near a private secondary school, Winners School and destroyed a residential building while also affecting a part of the school.
In a viral video, schoolchildren were seen running, and crying for help.
Some agitated parents were also seen rushing to the scene to rescue their children.
The statement which was made available by NEMA’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, revealed that the Director-General, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, was at the site of the incident and coordinated rescue operations.
The statement reads: “9 dead bodies have been recovered so far from the rubbles of a collapsed building beside a primary school following explosions from a gas cylinder at Aba Road in Sabon Gari area of Kano”.
Director-General National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, was at the site of the incident and coordinated the rescue operations. He mobilised excavators being used for the rescue operations and said the NEMA team will ensure complete removal of the rubbles to retrieve all trapped persons.
Furthermore, the DG instructed the NEMA rescue team to remain at the site until the conclusion of the rescue and to work together with security agencies and other response organisations present at the location.
“NEMA is presently coordinating the rescue operations involving members, Nigerian Red Cross, military, the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Kano SEMA”.
