Seven injured as three-storey building collapses in Rivers
Seven people were injured when a three-storey building under construction collapsed at Aboga along the Igwuruta-Etche Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.
The incident occurred at around 1:30 pm while workers were on-site. While no lives were lost, seven of the nine workers present at the construction site were rescued with varying degrees of injury, and two others reportedly jumped to safety.
An eyewitness recounted, “When I arrived at the scene, the building was already falling. While some workers managed to jump out, others were trapped when the building collapsed on them.”
Another eyewitness shared, “I heard a loud noise while at home. When I rushed out, I saw the building collapsing. Residents and passersby began using axes to break through the rubble and rescue the victims before the authorities arrived.”
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Emeka Kalu, confirmed the incident on Sunday. He described it as unfortunate and outlined the rescue efforts.
Kalu explained that, aside from initial rescue attempts by local residents, the authorities from Ikwerre Local Government Area, the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Special Duties had quickly mobilised to the site. Excavators, fire trucks, and ambulances were deployed to ensure the swift rescue of the trapped victims.
Rivers State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi, also commented at the scene, expressing regret over the start of the year with another building collapse. He attributed the incident to the use of substandard materials by the developer, noting that he had previously warned against such practices.
“This is the fourth building collapse in the state since I took office,” Bipi stated.
“Preliminary investigations suggest the collapse occurred due to the use of substandard materials, particularly 12mm rods for decking, which violates construction standards.”
The commissioner also revealed that the developer had failed to obtain the necessary government-approved building plan. As a result, the site has been sealed, and the property owner has been summoned for questioning.
Bipi issued a stern warning to builders, declaring, “We will not tolerate continued violations of building codes, including the use of substandard materials and building without the required approvals. Such practices endanger lives and result in avoidable damage.”
