Panic gripped the residents of Ridawa village in the Ghari Local Government Area of Kano State on Wednesday after a commercial sand pit collapsed, trapping several labourers underground.
Residents said the pit collapsed when the victims were excavating soil for brick-making, trapping them beneath the debris.
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The lawmaker representing the Ghari/Tsanyawa Federal Constituency, Sani Bala, told journalists that about 10 workers were unaccounted for and are feared dead beneath the rubble.
While lvillagers and first responders started a manual rescue operation, digging through the debris with local tools, but their efforts were insufficient for the scale of the disaster.
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“We need urgent assistance to save those still trapped,” the lawmaker stated. “While the community is doing its best, professional rescue support is needed.
“We are appealing for the immediate deployment of specialised equipment and rescue vehicles to accelerate the evacuation and prevent loss of life.”
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As of Wednesday evening, authorities had not yet issued an official statement. However, search and rescue efforts continue as the community holds out hope for survivors.
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Such collapses are a recurring tragedy in rural brick-making in Kano communities, where deep pits are often excavated without structural reinforcement or safety measures.
Artisanal brick-making is a primary source of income for many rural dwellers in Kano, where the cost of safety equipment or professional site surveying is often prohibitively high for local cooperatives, leading to high-risk environments.
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