A two-storey building under construction at Ekeoyibo market in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, collapsed on Thursday, claiming the lives of two individuals and injuring several others.
The incident occurred around noon, trapping traders and shoppers beneath the debris.
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SP Tochukwu Ikenga, spokesperson for the Anambra Police Command, confirmed the fatalities and stated that other rescued victims are receiving treatment at a local hospital.
“Two persons were found dead after rescue operations were concluded. Some other trapped victims, rescued alive, are still receiving treatment at the hospital,” Ikenga said.
The rescue operation, led by state emergency responders and supervised by security personnel, continued late into the night.
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The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations oversaw the scene to ensure order was maintained.
The cause of the collapse remains unknown, pending further investigation.
This tragedy follows a series of similar incidents in Anambra State, including the collapse of a five-storey building at Dennis Memorial Grammar School last month, which resulted in one death, and another at Ochanja Market in Onitsha four months ago, killing six and injuring twenty.
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In response to these recurring disasters, the state government has established several panels and committees to investigate, but their findings have yet to be made public.
Although the Anambra government has not yet commented on the latest incident, a statement is expected soon.
When visiting the site on Friday, the area was cordoned off, though some traders and bystanders were present.
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Witnesses reported that the building collapsed without warning, leading to multiple casualties.
Uche, a trader, said “the building suddenly crumbled, burying some traders under the debris. It did not give any sign before it happened. More than two persons were brought out dead, and several others were alive during the rescue operations that lasted late into the night.”
Speculation about the cause of the collapse includes the use of substandard materials and persistent rainfall.
Eyewitness Nwafor shared a personal tragedy, revealing that one of the victims was his neighbor, a civil defense officer and father of four.
“I came home yesterday evening to learn he was my neighbor. We greeted in the morning when I was going to work around 11 am. The building collapsed around noon. Healthy, huge young man, in his early 40s. I’m devastated,” Nwafor said.
The community and various stakeholders are calling for a thorough investigation to prevent further incidents.
Attempts to reach market leaders for comments were unsuccessful.
