At least five individuals working at a construction site have been confirmed dead after a three-story building collapsed in Abia State.
The building under construction collapsed on them Friday afternoon in the Umumbi Autonomous Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that three carpenters working on the roof survived the building collapse, while others remained trapped under the rubble
Among the victims of the incident were three workers reportedly plastering the ground floor when the building collapsed on them. The other two victims were blood brothers who had just arrived at the construction site to begin their work.
The owner of the building is reportedly out of the country, leaving his siblings in charge of supervising the project.
A building expert, Engr. Chinedu Okwara, suggested that the collapse may have been caused by the use of substandard materials and the owner’s failure to hire a qualified and certified building engineer.
Confirming the collapse, the chairman of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Newman Azu, mentioned that he was already at the site with his team and that arrangements were being made to bring heavy-duty equipment to the scene for excavation.
The goal, he said, was to begin the rescue operation as quickly as possible and free those trapped in the rubble.
TRADEDY IN UKWA WEST AS A THREE STOREY BUILDING COLLAPSES.
A three storey building collapsed midday yesterday at Obingwu Asa in Ukwa west local government of Abia State.
Five dead bodies who are workers on the site of the collapsed building were trapped dead in the building… pic.twitter.com/jhSHpdJDG8
— Jeremiah (@Mr_Amogu) June 8, 2024
