10 pupils dead after school building collapsed in Nigeria

Ten pupils have so far been confirmed dead following the collapse of a school building in Nigeria's city of Jos, capital of the central Plateau State, local authorities said Monday.

At least 21 pupils are injured and receiving treatment at a state-run specialist hospital in the Nigerian city, Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency, said.

The incident occurred on Sunday during a study session at the local school in which authorities said about 38 pupils were in attendance.

Officials said seven pupils died immediately the building collapsed, but the death toll rose to 10 on Monday as three among the injured died while receiving treatment.

Authorities in the school said about 50 pupils were usually in attendance during the daily Arabic classes but heavy downpour on Sunday might have prevented other school children from coming.

According to local sources, the devastating incident on Sunday threw residents of the Jos metropolis in undue mourning as the bereaved made plans to bury the dead on Monday.

Some of the pupils who attended Sunday's class were rescued unhurt, said Abu Sambo-Waja, a local resident who joined in the rescue operation.

Local investigators have launched a probe into the cause of the incident. Endit