A three-storey building with four suspended floors, located behind the Anambra State House of Assembly in Awka collapsed on Thursday, sparking panic in the area.
The building, still under construction and already at the roofing stage, suddenly caved in around 11:40 a.m.
The incident sent shockwaves through the neighbourhood, as it was feared that some occupants, particularly construction workers, were trapped beneath the rubble.
Eyewitnesses said the structure caved in without warning, adding that the exact number of workers possibly trapped remained unknown.
One witness recounted, “The building collapsed this morning (Thursday) as some artisans were carrying out some construction works on the roof of the structure.
“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 on the scene shortly after, but rescue efforts have not begun as they said they were waiting for the excavators to arrive.”
As of press time, the cause of the collapse and the casualty figure had yet to be determined. Officials from the state Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the Material Testing Department were already on site to investigate.
Our correspondent observed that the entire area had been cordoned off, while bystanders and passers-by attempted makeshift rescue efforts despite limited logistics and a lack of equipment like excavators.
The Chairman, COREN-ERM Anambra State, Sir Victor Meju, confirmed the incident, saying, **“It is a three-storey building with four suspended floors still under construction at its roofing stage. It is a private building. It was gathered that the structure was roofed last Thursday.
“An on-site preliminary investigation revealed that it was a vertically complete collapse to the rubble. On-site preliminary investigation also revealed that the collapse occurred as a result of the poor concrete mixture and a likely foundation problem.
“The relevant agencies, such as the Ministry of Housing and the Awka Capital Territory Development Association, have been notified, and they are on the ground to monitor and offer rescue operations.”
When contacted, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not yet aware of the incident but promised to make enquiries.
However, the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) insisted that no one was trapped and no life was lost.
In a statement, the Head of the Media Unit, Ukpa Ewa, said, **“While preliminary checks are ongoing, our officers on the ground have so far found no evidence to suggest that anyone was trapped.
“We urge the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information, as such actions create unnecessary panic and undermine public confidence.
“ACTDA remains committed to enforcing strict compliance with building standards and will continue to monitor developments within the Awka Capital Territory.”