Four persons were rescued and taken to hospital after an uncompleted building collapsed in Independence Layout, Enugu, while rescue workers recovered a fifth victim.
Four persons have been rescued from the rubble of an uncompleted four-storey building that partially collapsed in Independence Layout, Enugu, while another victim was recovered and taken to hospital to determine his condition.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday at an uncompleted hotel construction site in the Enugu metropolis.
Rescue and emergency workers from several agencies were deployed to the scene, where efforts continued to ensure that no other person remained trapped beneath the debris.
The Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Barr. Uche Anya, said the collapsed building had earlier been sealed by the government over alleged structural integrity concerns and non-compliance with its approved building plan.
ECTDA is the agency responsible for development control, building plan approvals and urban development management within the Enugu Capital Territory.
Anya said the property was approved in 2021, before the current administration came into office.
“This property collapsed in the early hours of the morning. We arrived here around 6 a.m. When we arrived, we met one of the security men, who said that six people slept in the uncompleted property, but one of them was not around when the incident occurred.
“So, the government emergency services arrived, and we started rescue operations. Four people, right now, are in the hospital receiving treatment as we speak. I believe there could be one more person in there, and that is why you see all this rescue effort ongoing,” he said.
According to Anya, ECTDA inspectors had earlier identified what he described as serious integrity issues and non-compliance with the building’s 2021 approval during an inspection.
He said the agency subsequently issued a stop-work order and sealed the construction site about six months ago.
Anya said the representative of the developer, whose owner was said to be living abroad, had recently been engaging with the agency over efforts to address the identified issues.
The ECTDA chairman said the developer’s representative had been handed over to the police to assist with investigations into the collapse.
“I have handed the representative to the police, not necessarily for detention, but to help with the investigation. But this is really a very unfortunate situation,” he said.
The Enugu State Government has previously intensified development control and enforcement against buildings alleged to violate approved plans or pose safety concerns within the state capital.
Also speaking at the scene, the Director of the Enugu State Fire Service, Engr. Okwudiri Oha, said the swift response of emergency agencies contributed to the rescue of four victims.
He commended the Red Cross, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), ECTDA, Enugu State Ambulance Services, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other responders involved in the operation.
Oha said adequate rescue equipment, including bulldozers and excavators, had been mobilised to the site.
“As a rescue officer, what we did was to ask the security man how many people are here. He said that there were supposed to be six. One person had left before it happened.
“So, we were able at that initial time to rescue four persons. Out of the four, two sustained minor injuries and they were all rushed to a health facility for proper checks.
“Then, as you have seen, we have been working. The last person we just recovered was the fifth person. It is when you get to a health facility that you know whether he is still alive,” he stated.
NEMA Information Officer in Enugu, Mr Ezeani Nnanyelugo, said five persons were believed to have been present at the site when the building collapsed, while a sixth person had left before the incident.
He said the four initially rescued victims were taken to hospital and had been stabilised.
“Just not quite long ago, one body was recovered and it was taken to the hospital to confirm whether he was dead or alive,” Nnanyelugo said.
The Executive Secretary of Enugu SEMA, Chinasa Mbah, said rescue workers would continue excavating the entire site to ensure that no survivor or victim remained trapped.
“We are going to excavate everything because you can see the machines that government brought. We will excavate everything to ensure no survivor or body is left,” she said.
The cause of the collapse has yet to be officially established as rescue operations and investigations continue.
Enugu has recorded previous cases of building collapse, with authorities repeatedly stressing the importance of strict compliance with approved building plans, development regulations and structural safety requirements.
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