A worker has been confirmed dead while seven others sustained injuries after a section of the new Gombe State House of Assembly Complex under construction collapsed on Friday, prompting Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to order an immediate investigation into the incident.
The tragic development was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary of the Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, Danladi Adams, who said the collapse occurred when a cantilevered entrance canopy under construction gave way at the project site.
According to Adams, one construction worker lost his life in the incident, while seven others suffered varying degrees of injuries.
He disclosed that five of the injured victims are currently receiving treatment at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while the remaining two are being treated at the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe.
Reacting to the incident, Governor Yahaya directed that a full-scale investigation be launched to determine the immediate and remote causes of the structural collapse.
The governor also ordered the state government to assume responsibility for the medical treatment of all injured workers.
In addition, he directed the contractor handling the project and the supervising consultant to submit a comprehensive report on the incident within 24 hours to aid the ongoing investigation and establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The new Gombe State House of Assembly Complex is one of the major infrastructure projects being undertaken by the state government. Authorities say the outcome of the investigation will determine the next course of action regarding the project.
