Panic gripped residents along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway in Awka, Anambra State, following the sudden collapse of a two-storey building still under construction.
The structure, located near the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office and adjacent to Diamond Pizza, opposite Five Star Restaurant, reportedly caved in late Wednesday while construction workers were still on-site.
Eyewitnesses said the building, which had reached the roofing stage, collapsed without any warning signs. The number of workers trapped in the rubble remains unknown as rescue efforts continue.
The cause of the collapse and casualty figure has yet to be ascertained, but some officials from the materials testing department of the state’s Ministry of Husing had arrived the scene.
This is just as bystanders and other passers-by have initiated some rescue efforts in a bid to see if anyone trapped can be rescued.
Our correspondent who visited the scene, gathered that some workers have been rescued from the rubbles by officers of the State Fire Service who arrived the area shortly after the incident.
It was a chaotic situation at the scene as bystanders struggled for one thing or the other at the scene.
One of the eyewitnesses at the scene said, “The building collapsed this evening(Wednesday) as some artisans were carrying out some construction works at the roof of the structure.
“It was a two-storey building still under construction at it’s roofing stage. Although, the building made some noise as it was collapsing while some construction workers were at the site. No one can say the cause of the collapse for now, but some government officials arrived the scene shortly after and rescue efforts have begun.”
The Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who conformed the development when contacted, said police operatives have been deployed to the scene to maintain law and order.
“Police operatives led by Divisional Police Officer Central Police Station Awka have taken over the scene.
“Though the details are still sketchy, Operations to restore order are ongoing. Further details shall be communicated, please,” he added.