6 people including site engineer trapped under collapsed building in Onitsha

Two months after a three-storey building collapsed in Lagos killing many people including school kids, another building under construction has reportedly collapsed in Onitsha.

Six people including the site engineer reportedly feared trapped under the rubble of the four-storey building that collapsed on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, in Onitsha.

The incident according to Punch happened on No 7, Ezenwa Street, Onitsha.

An eyewitness who spoke to the Newspaper said eight persons were under the building when it caved in at about 1.45pm.

According to the eyewitness, six labourers, including the site engineer were trapped under the rubble of the building that reportedly belonged to a lawyer.

Ifeanyi Iburu, the Divisional Police Officer for Onitsha Central Police Station led a team of security operatives to the scene, Punch reports.

Red Cross officers, sympathizers, passersby, and other security agencies were reported to have joined in the rescue mission.

While confirming the incident, the Chairman, Red Cross Society in Anambra State, Prof. Peter Katchy, said the rescued casualties had been rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

He said, “One of the persons rescued by Red Cross is in the intensive care unit at Holy Rosary Hospital Waterside, Onitsha; while another is at the General Hospital, Onitsha.

“Four are still trapped under the debris of the collapsed building, including the site engineer.

“The Excavator and an Earth Moving Vehicle have just arrived now.”

You’ll recall that in March, a three storey building, located at Massey Street, Opposite Oja, Ita-Faaji, collapsed around 10am on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, trapping almost 100 people, many of them children.

Following the incident, the Lagos State government said that a total of 20 people died in the tragedy.