A three-storey building with four suspended floors located behind the Anambra State House of Assembly, off Ekwueme Square, Okpuno Awka, collapsed on Thursday, leaving many in panic.
The building, which was still under construction and at the roofing stage, caved in at about 11:40am.
The incident created fear among residents and passers-by as it was initially suspected that some construction workers and occupants might have been trapped in the rubble.
Eyewitnesses said the structure caved in suddenly without warning, adding that the number of possible victims could not be ascertained immediately.
As of the time of the report, the cause of the collapse and casualty figures had not been confirmed, but officials from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the state material testing department were at the scene to investigate.
The area was cordoned off while bystanders attempted rescue efforts, although the process was hindered by the lack of logistics and heavy equipment such as excavators.
An eyewitness noted, “The building collapsed this morning (Thursday) as artisans were working on the roof. It made a loud noise as it caved in. Some government officials later arrived, but rescue work has not fully started because they said they were waiting for excavators.”
The Chairman of COREN-ERM in Anambra State, Sir Victor Meju, explained, “It is a three-storey building with four suspended floors still under construction at its roofing stage. Preliminary findings suggest a vertically complete collapse, possibly due to poor concrete mixture and foundation issues.”
He added that relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Housing and the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), had been notified and were monitoring the situation.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not yet aware of the development but promised to make enquiries.
However, the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority confirmed the incident but stressed that no one was trapped and no life was lost.
In a press statement, ACTDA’s Head of Media, Ukpa Ewa, said, “Our officers on the ground have so far found no evidence to suggest that anyone was trapped. We urge the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information that could cause panic. ACTDA remains committed to enforcing strict compliance with building standards.”
