By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

One person has been confirmed dead with an unverified number sustaining varying degrees of injury, following the collapse of two buildings in different parts of Anambra State within a space of 24 hours.

The first incident was said to have occurred early Wednesday morning in the quiet neighbourhood of Akpaka GRA Phase II, Onitsha, in Onitsha North Local Government Area of the state, while the second incident occurred behind the Anambra State House of Assembly, off Ekwueme Square, Okpuno, Awka, in the state capital.

Information has it that the first incident involved a two-storey residential building which suddenly gave way, trapping two occupants, one of whom was later confirmed dead.

Narrating his experience, an eyewitness who lived on the second floor of the building said he was alone in the flat moments after his wife had left for work and taken their daughter to school.

He said: “I first heard a heavy sound and then another louder one as the building collapsed around him.

“The building fell on me, and I feared for my life. I prayed to God to spare me at least for the good things I have done for people.

"Ater the building fell, it was dark, and I could hear someone else crying for help. With difficulty, I navigated through the debris and emerged with physical injuries, which medical examination and lab results later confirmed were not life-threatening."

Upon rescue, the other victim, who was trapped in a different section of the building and shouting for help, was rushed to a nearby hospital alive, but despite emergency care, he later succumbed to injuries sustained, especially fractures to his head.

The Mayor of Onitsha North Local Government Area, Hon. Nweze Tony Nwora, who visited the scene of the incident with emergency responders and local security officers ordered the immediate cordoning off of the site to prevent further injurie.

While citing possible regulatory breaches or construction malpractice in the area, Nwora warned that the collapse may not be an isolated incident

He disclosed that a full technical investigation had been commissioned to determine the root causes of the building collapse, even as assured the public that anyone found negligent would face prosecution under the law.

Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after the Onitsha tragedy, another building collapse occurred in Awka, the state capital, where a three-storey building with four suspended floors, located behind the Anambra State House of Assembly, off Ekwueme Square, Okpuno, caved in at about 11:40 a.m. on Thursday.

According to reports, the building which is still under construction and at the roofing stage, collapsed without warning, causing panic among the residents and the passersby that heard the thunderous sound of the collapse.

Eyewitnesses reported that artisans were working on the roof when the structure suddenly collapsed.

Though the exact number of workers trapped in the collapsed building is yet unknown at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that immediate rescue efforts were hampered by the lack of logistics and heavy equipment like, excavators to move the rubbles and search for people.

When contacted, the Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria Emergency Response Management (COREN-ERM) in Anambra State, Sir Victor Meju, said preliminary on-site investigations revealed a vertically complete collapse.

He attributed the likely causes of the total collapse to a poor concrete mixture and potential foundation issues.

Meju stated, “It is a total failure, both on the side of the client and the side of the supervisor or engineer. The concrete structures were so poor.

“Normally, when a building collapses, you expect to see some beams or columns still standing. But this one crumbled completely to the ground. That indicates a very serious foundation problem, which may have triggered a ripple effect.”

He revealed that samples had already been collected for laboratory testing to determine the exact cause, after which a formal report would be released.

The COREN-ERM Chairman further stated that as of 4:00 p.m. when he and his team left the site, no casualty had been recorded.

He added, “We needed to get heavy-duty equipment to excavate, and we are still trying to confirm whether any of the workers were living within the site. As of now, no one has been seen, either dead, alive, or injured.

The State Government has however, sealed the building site to preserve evidence and protect the public.