Seven Workers Rescued After Building Collapse

Seven construction workers were rescued from the rubble of a collapsed three-storey building in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.

The incident occurred around 1:30 pm along the Igwuruta-Etche road at a construction site. Although nine workers were on-site, seven of them sustained varying degrees of injury, while thankfully, no fatalities were reported.

Emergency responders, along with local authorities, quickly arrived at the scene to assist in the rescue efforts. A source described the scene: “Upon arriving, I saw the building collapse, some workers managed to jump out, while others were trapped. All were rescued, but many were injured, and the last person was saved towards the evening with severe injuries. He was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.”

Another witness recalled hearing a loud crash from his house and rushed outside to see the building collapse. Local residents and passersby immediately began using axes to break through the debris and rescue the trapped workers, before government officials and police joined the effort.

The rescue operation was a collective effort involving local community members, the Ikwerre Local Government Area authorities, and officials from the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, as well as the Ministry of Special Duties. Excavators, fire trucks, and an ambulance were deployed to assist with the operation.

Evans Bipi, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, confirmed the incident in a statement. He expressed regret that the year had begun with such a tragedy, even though no lives were lost. He stated that this was the fourth building collapse in the state since he took office. Preliminary investigations suggested that the building’s collapse was likely caused by the use of substandard materials, particularly 12mm rods used for the decking, which violates construction standards. Bipi pointed out that similar incidents had been linked to the use of inferior materials and criticized the developer for not obtaining the necessary government-approved building plans.

In response to the collapse, the Ministry has sealed the property and requested the owner to report for further investigation. Bipi warned, “We will no longer tolerate violations of building codes, including the use of substandard materials to cut costs. Builders must adhere to safety standards to avoid further tragedies.”

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