The Federal Fire Service in Kano State pulled six people alive from the rubble after a section of the Whitefield Rice Mills Processing Company building gave way. The facility sits in Gezawa Local Government Area.
State Controller Kazeem Sholadaye revealed the rescue operation in a statement released Tuesday through spokesman Al-Hassan Kanti. Sholadaye said the service received a distress call around 6:45 p.m. on Monday evening from someone named Johnson.
Firefighters and rescue workers from Danzaki Fire Station reached the scene immediately. They deployed shovels, grinding machines and other tools to dig through the rubble and free the trapped workers.
"Through the professionalism and coordinated efforts of our personnel, six persons were rescued alive from the collapsed building," Sholadaye told reporters through his spokesman.
No one died in the incident. Sholadaye blamed excessive stacking of goods inside one section of the company's storage area for triggering the collapse.
The swift response saved property valued at about N15 million, though N10 million in assets was destroyed. Sholadaye said the quick action prevented a much worse outcome.
He called on residents, building owners and construction firms to strengthen structures against overloading. Buildings must meet safety standards and undergo regular inspections, he urged.
"Property owners and developers must ensure that buildings are structurally sound and avoid excessive loading on structures," Sholadaye noted. He stressed the need to report any signs of structural weakness to authorities before disaster strikes.
