One dead, several trapped as four-storey building collapses in Port Harcourt

A four-storey building under construction in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State has collapsed, trapping several persons beneath the rubble.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, barely 48 hours after another three-storey building collapsed at the Rumuolumeni axis of Port Harcourt.

An eyewitness said at least seven persons were trapped in the collapsed structure, while residents succeeded in rescuing two victims from the rubble shortly after the incident.

One of the eyewitnesses at the scene said they could see the head of one of the trapped victims, who was screaming, “my legs, my legs,” but efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.

The eyewitness further disclosed that the site engineer supervising the building project was among those trapped beneath the debris.

A body has also been recovered from the rubble.

Security and emergency response agencies have since mobilised to the scene.

Among those present are the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju; the Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Amairigha Edward Hart; officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA; the Fire Service; the Nigerian Red Cross Society; and ambulances from the Ministry of Health.

One of the site workers, Oladimeji Taiwo, a carpenter working on the project, alleged that the site engineer had warned workers that the building could collapse on Wednesday morning.

Taiwo, who narrowly escaped the incident, said he was outside the building when it gave way.

According to him, he had earlier noticed cracks on the walls of the structure, which was still under construction.

He said less than 10 minutes after the site engineer gave the warning, the building began to collapse.

Taiwo estimated that between eight and 10 persons were trapped in the building at the time of the incident.

He said, “I have spent six months in this place. All what I have is inside here with my phone.

“I just want to appeal, they should help me and my brothers.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, three persons had been rescued from the rubble, while rescue efforts are ongoing to reach the remaining victims trapped beneath the collapsed structure.