Onitsha (Nigeria): A two-storey residential building located along Prince Chinedu Akwuaka Street reportedly caved in on Tuesday, trapping two occupants, one of whom was later confirmed dead.
Confirming the incident on Friday in Onitsha, Mr Tony Nweze, the Chairman of Onitsha North Local Government Area, said that he had ordered the immediate cordoning off of the site to prevent further injuries.
According to him, the collapse may not be an isolated incident, and he blames possible regulatory breaches or construction malpractice in the area.
Nwora pledged a thorough investigation to determine the remote cause of the collapse, assuring that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted.
Narrating the ordeal, a resident in the area, Mr Osinachi Chukwudi, explained that another loud sound followed a heavy one, and the building collapsed on the occupants.
Chukwudi noted that one of the surviving victims was rescued almost immediately and was rushed to the hospital for medical attention. In contrast, the other victim, who was rescued later alive and taken to the hospital, later died.
When contacted for information, the Anambra command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached, as calls and messages sent to his phone were not answered or returned.