PANIC AS TWO-STOREY BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION COLLAPSES IN ANAMBRA
Read Time:2 Minute, 37 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
Residents of Umuoma community in Umuoji, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, were thrown into panic after a two-storey building under construction partially collapsed on Monday evening.
The structure, reportedly being developed as a hotel, caved in while construction workers were still on site, although no life was lost in the incident.
Eyewitnesses said the building began giving way after loud cracking sounds were heard from the walls, forcing workers to flee for safety.
When visited on Wednesday, the building was seen dangerously tilted in different directions, raising fears of a total collapse and posing a threat to nearby residents and passers-by.
A resident, who identified himself simply as Uzor, said more than 20 workers were on the second floor of the structure when the collapse occurred.
“Prior to the collapse, more than 20 workers were seen busy working at various sections of the building. But hours later, at about 5 p.m., the structure started caving in following loud cracks from the second floor. Luckily, nobody was trapped as they jumped down one after another,” he said.
According to him, the building was designed as a three-storey structure intended for hotel business.
“The structure caved in such a way that both sides are now slanting in different directions from the top and it’s posing danger. The fortunate thing is that nobody was trapped.
“The speed at which the structure is being constructed and the heavy rainfall might have contributed to the collapse,” he added.
Another resident, identified simply as Amaka, blamed the incident on rushed construction work and the possible use of substandard materials.
“How can you be putting blocks on top of the ones that have not dried, especially during the rainy season? Most of the iron rods we have today are inferior and not suitable for storey buildings like this,” she said.
She disclosed that government officials visited the site on Tuesday and sealed off the premises to prevent further danger.
“A thorough investigation should be conducted to ascertain the cause of the collapse,” she added.
Officials of the state Urban and Town Planning Department were seen at the scene, where the premises had been cordoned off with barriers and tape.
One of the officials, who spoke anonymously, said investigations had commenced to determine whether proper approvals and building regulations were followed.
“The premises were sealed off pending investigation. As you can see, the structure is slanting towards different directions and posing danger.
“Authorities would move swiftly to establish how the structure failed and whether regulatory procedures were ignored. We are also investigating whether the building had the necessary approvals,” the official said.
The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident but noted that details were still sketchy.
“Yes, it’s true, but details are still sketchy. I’ll get back to you when I have the full information,” he said.
Building collapses have remained a recurring concern across several parts of Nigeria, with experts often attributing such incidents to structural defects, use of substandard materials, poor supervision, and violations of building regulations.
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