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No fewer than nine victims including a family of seven persons were rescued with injured persons taken to the hospital after a two-story building under construction collapsed early hours of Wednesday at Area 5 Extension in Umuguma, Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
It was gathered that the incident happened at about 12:30 Pm, when the building collapsed it was passersby and neighbours who heard the sound of the collapsed building and rushed in to commence a rescue operation and succeeded in rescuing the victims with injuries.
At the time of filing this report, the removal of the debris was yet to be concluded but the Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, led by the Chairman, Francis Chukwu, confirmed it was nine victims that were rescued and some of them taken to the hospital.
It was also gathered that some of the victims were bricklayers working on the site.
However, a father of seven children, with other family members, residing in the uncompleted building who gave his name as Eke Martins, who also confirmed the incident said he was able to escape but that one of his children was injured during the rescue operation.
Speaking, Matins, said: “This collapse happen around 12: 30 to 1 pm. I have seven children with others at the time when this incident happened so when the building collapsed five of my children were on the first floor and including second child was on the down floor.
“What we heard was a heavy sound and the building collapse. I thank God nobody died but one of my children was injured and was taken to the hospital where they are demanding N250,000. I am happy that nobody died.”
To this extent, the OCDA Chairman, Chukwu while sealing the collapse also warned developers against using substandard materials said: “The owner and Engineer handling the building both of whom were not at the site at the time of the inspection have been asked to report to the Agency with immediate effect, at the same time we are developers against the use of substandard materials in building houses.
“We also inspected other buildings around the area and directed the owners to report to the Agency for recertification because the vibration of the collapsed building can pose some effects on the existing buildings.”