Three persons have been reported injured when a two-Storey building under construction collapsed at Rumuoke Street, off Okilton junction in Ada George road, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The incident Which happened at early hours on Thursday morning, had victims rescued taken to the hospital for treatment.
An eyewitness told newsmen they heard a loud sound just about the break of dawn, which frightened residents.
While saying that the cause of the collapse could not be immediately ascertained, he stated that some of the workers on the site who were living in the building are trapped. “We saw that the three persons rescued this morning were still alive and were taken to the hospital.
“We are aware that the POP people and the tilers working in the building also live inside the building. Right now, we don’t know whether there are other casualties. ”
A female resident who did not want her name mentioned said they saw a man crawling out of the building when they approached the incident scene, and people quickly rescued him.
According to her, some of the workers had earlier raised the alarm after spotting a crack and brought it to the attention of others.
She said: “Some workers said they noticed cracks in the building and asked their co-workers who were in the last building. But they didn’t hear because they were playing loud music. “After that time, the building started shaking, so the ones downstairs ran away. “The next thing the building started collapsing. We pray that those injured survive.”
Meanwhile, Governor Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has ordered an urgent investigation on the immediate and remote causes of the collapsed building at Rumuoke Street, off Okilton junction on Ada George road, Port Harcourt.
Speaking after the inspection of the collapsed 2-storey building, Gov. Fubara represented by the Commissioner for Special Projects, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke charged the relevant government agencies to immediately question those involved in the project to bring anyone culpable to book.
According to the governor, “The Ministry of Urban Development is to take immediate action by conducting site investigations, and site inspections, destructive testing and non-destructive testing of collapsed structural element to establish their strength by the determination of the yield strength of the reinforcements and sieve analysis of the soil at the site, to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse”.
“If there is any compromise by those involved in the project, they will be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others”, he also emphasized.
While sympathizing with the four injured men whom he visited at the hospital, the doctors treating them also assured him that they will be discharged in a few days as they were already in stable condition.
He said the government has urgently mobilized earth-moving equipment to the site to evacuate the debris of the collapsed building, as the site has been cordoned off.
Signed
Boniface Onyedi
SSA, Media to the Governor of Rivers State
June 29, 2023
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