Many are feared trapped as a five-storey building collapses in Anambra.
Glamtush reports that some yet-to-be-identified number of persons may have been trapped as a five-storey building under construction collapsed at Basden Street, Fegge, in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State.
This online news platform gathered that the building, meant to serve commercial purposes on completion, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday while some of the construction workers were on the last floor.
An excavator has quickly been moved to the site to begin the evacuation of rubbles and possible rescue operations of any trapped victims.
The reason for the collapse has not yet been ascertained but as of the time of filing this report on Sunday, a source near the area said one person has been rescued as rescue operations continue at the site.
However, details of the incident are still sketchy as the state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached for confirmation.
He did not respond to enquiries on his telephone as of the time of filing this report.
The Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, Chinyere Nworah, has yet to respond to enquiries sent to her telephone.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, had warned developers to not only secure approvals from the relevant bodies before building but also to comply with terms of construction to avoid loss of lives and resources.
He had ordered all buildings erected without approvals in the state to be demolished and this collapsed building will not be an exception as repeated contravention notices were served the developer who remained adamant.
More details later…