Disaster struck when a two-story school building unexpectedly collapsed during class hours, causing widespread fear and panic. This tragic event occurred at Saint Academy, located in Busa Buji, Apata, within the Jos North local government area of Plateau State. At the time, the students were in the middle of their examinations, around 10:30 a.m., when the building suddenly caved in.
In the immediate aftermath, both the deceased and injured students were swiftly transported to Bingham University Teaching Hospital (Jankwano) via ambulances. Amidst the chaos, it became evident that numerous students were still trapped beneath the debris.
Pastor Daniel, a teacher at the school who teaches Christian Religious Studies, recounted the harrowing experience through tears. He described the moment the building collapsed, trapping many students inside. Daniel managed to escape through a window but was tormented by the cries of his students who called out for help. He expressed deep remorse and guilt for being unable to assist his students in their time of greatest need, especially those on the ground floor, whose fate remained uncertain.
Rescue efforts were ongoing, with firefighters diligently searching for survivors amid the rubble. The scene at the hospital was one of grief and despair. Four bodies had already been transported to the morgue, and more injured students were arriving continuously. The atmosphere was heavy with the wails of parents and guardians anxiously seeking information about their loved ones. One family had the heartbreaking loss of four children, while another man was in agony, desperate for news about his two children.
As this report was being written, rescue operations continued, and the full extent of the tragedy was still unfolding.
