Following the collapse of a five-storey building at Dennis Memorial Grammar School in Onitsha, Anambra State, three construction workers were initially trapped.
However, they have since been successfully rescued. The incident occurred around 7:15 am on Wednesday while the building was still under construction, trapping approximately three workers. By 5:15 pm on Wednesday, Anambra State government officials and members of the Red Cross Society had managed to rescue one individual from the rubble.
In a conversation with a Punch correspondent on Thursday, Mr. Victor Metu, the Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, revealed that the three workers who were trapped had been successfully rescued alive before midnight on Wednesday.
Metu mentioned that an investigation to determine the actual cause of the collapse had begun promptly. He also mentioned that the rescue team departed from the site of the building collapse around 12:00 am on Thursday.
He clarified that it was a complete collapse, not a partial one, attributing it to a faulty foundation and the use of substandard materials.
He mentioned that the first individual trapped was rescued at approximately 6 pm on Wednesday, followed by the second person at around 9:30 pm, and the third individual at roughly 11:45 pm.
He said that in his capacity as chairman, he intends to draft a letter addressed to the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, urging the establishment of a panel of inquiry comprising of seasoned professionals and engineers tasked with conducting a thorough examination of the collapsed structure.
He further stated that given the caliber and expertise of the engineers involved in the project, there should be no cause for concern. However, he awaits the official report, as certain concerns arose yesterday. Some have suggested that the building was initially designed for just two floors.
According to his assessment, the situation warranted concern, with an assurance that the agency would investigate the foundation’s adequacy for a five-storey building.
He guaranteed that an integrity test would precede a comprehensive public statement to determine whether human error or natural causes were at play. Speculations arose, suggesting it was initially a tunnel or a dumping ground, implying potential foundational issues if confirmed after analysis.
