By Ayodele Oni
Anambra state government has ordered total demolition, of a three-storey building, which collapsed, killing a mother and her 14-year-old daughter.
The site is expected to be forfeited to government.
The three-storey building was under construction when it collapsed at Anata Anaba, Okpoko, in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Other victims were reportedly trapped inside their apartment in a neighbouring bungalow as the building came crashing down.
According to eyewitnesses, the structure reportedly made loud noises before its walls began to crack and eventually collapsed, triggering panic among residents in the area.
Residents revealed that other people were also trapped beneath the rubble, but were rescued by emergency responders and taken to hospital for medical attention.
The deceased woman was reportedly the landlady of the neighbouring bungalow, while the teenage victim was identified as her youngest daughter.
Speaking about the tragedy, the woman’s son, identified as Chimobi, said three members of his family were inside the apartment when the building collapsed.
He explained that he was outside at the time, while his mother and sister were in a bedroom when the structure fell on them.
Chimobi expressed sadness over the incident, claiming that residents had previously warned the builder about the potential danger posed by the construction.
He said several people have called for the project to be stopped, but their concerns were allegedly ignored.
Some residents also raised concerns about the condition of the land, describing it as waterlogged and unsuitable for a three-storey structure.
They claimed that an engineer initially involved in the project had recommended limiting the building to two floors because of the ground conditions, but the advice was allegedly disregarded.
According to the residents, another engineer was subsequently engaged to continue the construction to three storeys.
Confirming the incident, Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, described the collapse as unfortunate.
Ojukwu visited the scene alongside Noble Igwe, the member representing Ogbaru One Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The commissioner attributed the collapse to the use of substandard building materials and disclosed that the authorities had previously issued a stop-work notice on the structure.
He described the building as an unauthorised development and said the state government had ordered its demolition, adding that the land would be forfeited to the government.
Ojukwu also revealed that authorities were investigating other unapproved buildings under construction in the area as part of efforts to address building safety concerns.
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