Tragedy struck at Oforola, Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State on Saturday, as three persons died when a building collapsed in the community .
Those who died were identified as Mr. Massy Okpomechinan and two of his children, while six others narrowly escaped death.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident in the early hours of Saturday, saw youths of the community pulling out the corpses from the debris.
The wife of the deceased, Mrs. Felicia Okpomechina , who alerted her family before the building collapsed , was rushed to a nearby hospital .
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the surviving sons of the deceased, Marcel Okpomechina , 20 , stated that thebuilding collapsed at about 4: 47 am on Saturday.
He said his mother came back from a vigil and heard cracks in the building, adding that just as she was making frantic moves to alert the whole family, the house started collapsing .
“Those who survived were those that managed to come out before the building collapsed . I raised the alarm immediately this happened and some neighbours gathered. When the landlord, Mr. Chinonso Eweluso , was notified , he immediately rushed to the site . On seeing what had happened, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, ” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) , Abdullahi Kurawa , said a team of olicemen from the command had been drafted to the scene.
He said, “The police are here to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order in the community. The youth are trying their best manually in the rescue operation. We thank them for the humanitarian job they are doing.”
Meanwhile, a building under construction at Ulakwo Junction, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, also collapsed on Friday.
One of the properties is a four – storey building, while the other is a three-storey building along the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
This came 24 hours after another three- storey building, at the Hospital Junction area of Umuguma , Owerri West LGA of the state sunk , living few persons trapped .
The state Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers , Emeka Ugoanyawu , told our correspondent that investigations carried out by his organisation revealed that the building collapsed because quack engineers were contracted for the building .
