One killed, many trapped, as four-storey building collapses in Enugu

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By Dennis Agbo, ENUGU

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One person has been confirmed dead after a four-storey building under construction collapsed on Sunday at Independence Layout, Enugu.

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The building, located along Ogbaru Street/Alvan Ikokwu Street, reportedly trapped several persons, with three others said to have been rescued from the rubble.

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An official involved in the excavation and rescue operation told Vanguard that excavators were still working at the site to determine whether anyone remained trapped beneath the debris.

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The official said the exact number of people affected was yet to be established, noting that the initial figures were based on information from a third-party source.

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According to him, the collapse was linked to suspected structural defects, adding that the site had previously been sealed by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, following an inspection.

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He said the inspection had identified serious defects in the building’s structural design, particularly the distribution and connection of columns to the foundation.

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“We found out that the column distributions were faulty,” the official said, explaining that some columns had been introduced on beams without proper rooting or anchorage to the foundation.

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He also cited poor material mixing and other construction deficiencies as visible concerns at the site.

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The official expressed concern that construction activities had continued despite the earlier sealing of the building.

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He said authorities initially could not establish that substantial construction work had resumed because the activities observed at the site appeared to involve mainly the installation of air-conditioning ducts and pipes inside the building.

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He said further excavation and investigation were ongoing to establish the full extent of the incident and ensure that no other persons remained trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

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Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Chairman of ECTDA, Hon. Uche Anya, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.

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The incident has renewed concerns over compliance with building standards and enforcement of construction regulations in Enugu State.

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