4-Storey Building Collapses In Onitsha, Claims 4 Lives, Many Escapes Death

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, June 3rd, 2014

IGNATIUS OKPARA, Onitsha

An uncompleted 4-storey building has collapsed in the commercial city of Onitsha, Aambra state, killing four persons, just as many escaped death.

The ugly incident, occurred on Monday at St. Christopher Anglican Church premises, along old cemetery road, Onitsha South Local Government Area at about 1:15 pm.

African Examiner reports that the unfortunate tragedy allegedly claimed the life of the project engineer and three others.

However, investigation by our correspondent revealed that the uncompleted building was at the finishing level, as those who lost their lives in the incident were said to be plastering the walls when it collapsed.

A resident of the area who does not want to be quoted said over 1,000 pupils of a nearby primary school that were playing around the building before its collapsed, narrowly escaped death by the whiskers as they were said to have gone into their classrooms few minutes before the incident.

It was further learnt that four hours after the collapse of the building, no rescue team was on hand to help the trapped workers, a development that led to their deaths.

Meanwhile, the church officials were alleged to be on the run as they were no where to be seen, just as the Onitsha South Local Government leadership was blamed for its inability to provide excavators, or crane for the evacuation of the debris of the collapsed building so as to help in digging out the corpses.

Reacting to the incident, the Onitsha council chairman, Hon Ann Chukwuneke, blamed the collapse on sub standard materials and supervision, adding that Anambra Urban Development Board ASUDEB should as a matter of necessity, hand over all approved building plan projects to the council engineer who would be supervising the projects.

Also reacting the local government engineer, Mr Oluchukwu John, and the liaison officer, Emeka Okafor corroborated the chairman’s position that the building collapsed because of poor materials.

However, the Nigeria Red Cross, security operatives, such as state security service SSS, Civil Defence Corps and local government officials were still seen battling to rescue the trapped dead workers with the assistance of sympathizers as at Monday’s evening.