2 Killed, Others Trapped As 8-storey Building Collapses In Imo

Two people have been killed and several others injured in an eight storey-building, which collapsed yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The building under construction was located along Musa Yar’Adua Drive in Owerri Municipal Council Area.

Eyewitnesses told LEADERSHIP Friday that the building which collapsed at about 4pm killed two persons. The body of one of the victims was displayed in the front of the collapsed edifice when our correspondent visited the scene of the disaster. The survivors were rushed to the hospitals.

Fire fighters and passersby had hectic time trying to rescue the trapped victims in the building designed to house a hotel.

One of the survivors, who identified himself as Ekene, said that he stepped out to buy water to drink when he heard a loud sound, with the building totally in ruins.

According to him, there were over 20 workers on duty at the time of incident.

The spokesman of the state police command, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the incident and said that the excavation had commenced to rescue the trapped workers.

He said that a combined team from the police, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and officials of the state government were working hard to rescue the trapped workers.

Ikeokwu said that the building was still under construction when it collapsed.

As of the time of filing the report, efforts were still on to rescue those trapped in the debris