By Austin Ogwuda
…. rescue operations ongoing
A two-storey building under construction for an hotel located opposite Asaba International Airport adjacent Okpanam Police station has collapsed leaving several workers on site wounded while others are feared trapped.
The collapse according to report occurred on Wednesday afternoon during the heavy downpour which residents in Asaba, Okpanam and environs have been grappling with. There has been constant rains with heavy flooding since past days as actually predicted by Nimet.
One of the workers simply called David who was among the lucky persons who narrowly escaped unhurt told reporters that, “several workers were injured while jumping from the second floor of the building to escape from being trapped while few others successfully escaped unhurt.
“As we talk, everybody has left the site and you know for fear of police arrest, some of the people in charge of the building have gone into hiding.
Some persons around the estate actually came to assist in the rescue of victims during the collapse of the building”, he narrated.
Reports further stated “Some of the trapped workers had been rescued while the search for others was still on as emergency workers as at Thursday were seen breaking the concrete to ascertain if they could rescue any trapped victim underneath”.
Government officials are yet to comment on the incident as at the time of filing in this report.
Recall that a high-rise hotel complex under construction similarly came down sometime in September 2023.
Work was ongoing at the multiple billion naira hotel building located directly opposite Shoprite by Inter Bau junction, Asaba believed to be owned by billionaire businessman and an Oil magnet when a section of it collapsed that year.
In that incident eyewitness account stated that about eight persons sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital by their colleagues.
State Commissioner for Urban Renewal, Mr. Michael Anoka when he visited the site, he told newsmen that “the Ministry is still investigating. The government is already taking measures and as you can see, the compound has been sealed. After our investigation, we will come up with a report of what happened here today.
“Everybody should be calm; the government has already started measures before this incident today. We are trying to put up a process so that we will be able to avoid such situations”.
After that very incidents, more incidents of building collapse did not abate until Wednesday’s occurrence.
Ironically too, till date, the State government has not come out with its findings over the collapse Commissioner Anoka was talking about.
