5-Storey Building Collapses in Port Harcourt

…Workers Feared Trapped

An unspecified number of construction workers were feared trapped on Wednesday after a five-storey building under construction collapsed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The incident occurred along Dr. Peter Odili Road near Eterna Filling Station, less than 24 hours after another building collapse was recorded in the Iwofe area of the city.

Eyewitnesses said workers had only just resumed work at the construction site when the structure suddenly gave way, trapping several persons beneath the rubble.

Rescue teams and emergency responders immediately swung into action, with at least two victims reportedly pulled alive from the debris and taken to a hospital for treatment. Efforts were ongoing to reach others believed to be trapped as of the time of filing this report.

The latest incident has heightened concerns over building safety in the state, prompting a renewed response from the Rivers State Government.

During an inspection of the collapsed three-storey building in Iwofe, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Amairigha Edward Hart, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing stricter building regulations and safety standards across construction sites.

The commissioner, who led an inspection team that included the Director of Compliance, Emmanuel Oti, and other ministry officials, described the recurring collapses as unfortunate and linked them to violations of approved building plans, poor supervision, structural defects and the use of substandard materials.

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Hart also decried the practice of developers exceeding approved limits by adding extra floors or making unauthorized structural modifications, warning that such actions often compromise the integrity of buildings.

He assured residents that the government would intensify monitoring and enforcement activities to ensure compliance with building regulations and prevent future tragedies.

Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the latest collapse, while rescue operations continue at the scene.