Father, 2 sons die in Anambra building collapse

A man and his two children have been confirmed dead in the collapse of a three-storey building under construction in Otolo Nnewi community, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the building collapsed when the workers were preparing to start plastering work at about 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 3, 2023.

An eyewitness disclosed that the man and his two children, who reported for the day’s job, died on the spot.

They were said to have been rushed to St. Felix Hospital in Nnewi, where they were confirmed dead.

It was learnt that other workers, who were rescued from the rubbles, sustained varying degrees of injuries.

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They were also said to have been taken to the hospital for treatment.

The Chairman of the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Anambra State Chapter, Victor Meju, who led some state officials of the council to the scene, blamed the incident on poor foundation, concrete mixture, and quality of materials as well as the non-approval by relevant regulatory authorities.

Meju said the building would be sealed off, adding that the owner, Chukwunafu Anamanjo, has been invited for questioning and investigation.

Also speaking on the incident, the Transition Committee Chairman of Nnewi North LGA, Chris Obiora, called on the people to always make use of certified engineers and other relevant personnel in the building sector for their construction works.

Obiora said monitoring teams were also important in ensuring that builders stick to stipulated standards.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command had yet to receive information about the incident.

“I don’t have any information on it yet, but I will escalate the information to the Divisional Police Officer in the area for necessary action,” Ikenga said.

The Star