At least one person presumed killed, multiple others pinned under rubble after structure collapses in Rivers

A devastating building collapse has occurred in a high-end area of Port Harcourt, along Peter Odili Road, where a three-storey structure under construction gave way on Wednesday, leaving one person feared dead and scores of others trapped in the rubble.

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The cause of the collapse remains unclear, but eyewitnesses suspect that structural defects may have played a role in the disaster, which has prompted a massive rescue effort.

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Rescue workers have retrieved the lifeless body of one person from the wreckage, although the individual's identity has not been disclosed, as the search for survivors continues.

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The rescue operation is being spearheaded by a coalition of agencies, including the Rivers State Government, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Federal Road Safety Corps, in a bid to locate those still trapped.

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A survivor, identified as Taiwo, who was at the construction site, reported that at least seven workers were trapped when the building suddenly collapsed, and his brother was among those still unaccounted for.

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According to Taiwo, who had briefly stepped away from the site, about four people had been rescued alive by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and he expressed concern for those still trapped, including his brother.

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Taiwo recounted the events leading up to the collapse, stating that he had left the site to purchase something and that around eight people, including some Hausa workers, were on site when the disaster occurred.

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Emergency responders, including police operatives and officials from the Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning, as well as the Ministry of Health, have converged on the scene to coordinate the rescue efforts.

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Dr Vincent Wachukwu, the Acting Permanent Secretary and Director of Medical Services, was present at the scene, overseeing the response, and confirmed that emergency services had been swiftly mobilised following reports of the collapse.

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Wachukwu explained that a team of responders had been deployed to the site, and that two severely injured individuals had been rescued and rushed to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

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The Acting Permanent Secretary further noted that hospital emergency services had been activated to ensure a swift and effective response to the crisis, with the Emergency Unit of RSUTH on standby.

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Wachukwu emphasized that all relevant agencies, including NEMA, FRSC, and the NSCDC, were collaborating to rescue those still trapped in the rubble, with a concerted effort underway to save as many lives as possible.