A three-storey building under construction collapsed in Iriebe, located in the Oboo/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Tuesday. Reports indicate that the collapse occurred while work was taking place on the third floor of the structure.
Our correspondent, who visited the site, noted that the lower part of the building was difficult to access because of the swampy conditions in the area. A nearby resident shared that he had seen several workers at the construction site earlier that morning as he was heading to work.
Details surrounding the incident remain limited, and further investigation is likely to follow to determine the cause of the collapse and assess any potential casualties or injuries.
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According to him, “It was this morning it happened, but I can’t say for sure if there are any human casualties, though I saw workers at the site today.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, Chijioke Ihunwo, has ordered the immediate closure of the site.
Ihunwo, during a visit to the site on Tuesday afternoon, directed the owner of the building and the contractor handling the job to report to his office on Wednesday morning.
The Ohio/Akpor Local Government Chairman described the building collapse as unfortunate and expressed concerns that there might be workers trapped under the rubble. He stated, “It is quite unfortunate that this incident has just occurred. As a local government, we have closed down this particular site.”
He emphasized the need for the building owner to provide the necessary approvals from both the local government and the Ministry of Urban Development. “For now, we cannot ascertain if anyone was inside the building or if there were any casualties,” he added. The Chairman mentioned that they have communicated with the owner and expect to meet with him on Wednesday at 10 am. He urged local residents to remain calm while the site is sealed off until further notice.
Additionally, he expressed concern about the quality of materials used in the construction and assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted in collaboration with the State Ministry of Urban Development. Ihunwo noted, “You can see that the materials being used here are substandard. That is why we have invited the person who claims to own this place to explain why he is using such materials to build this kind of structure.”