Police, locals dispute trapped victims’ figure as building collapses in Port Harcourt

…Food vendor, child, nine others trapped

There is confusion about the number of people still trapped under the rubble of a collapsed four-storey building along Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, on Wednesday.

One construction worker has been confirmed dead, three injured and rushed to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital while ten others were still trapped in the rubble, according to the Police.

But, locals disputed the number of victims under the rubble, saying the uncompleted building was like community in itself, housing the homeless, traders and construction workers who could not make it home.

Local sources maintained the number of people still under rubble was more than the conservative figure given by the Police.

As of the early hours of Wednesday when the building collapsed, they claimed that over 20 persons were in the building when it came crashing down on them.

Policemen at the scene however put the number of those trapped beneath the rubble at 10.

Iyke Okoro, Assistant Commissioner of Police, who was at the scene, said four persons had been rescued from the rubble.

“One was lifeless and the other three, injured, were taken to the hospital for further attention,” he said.

Vincent Wachukwu, Acting Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, who was also at the scene, said “When we got the information, we had to quickly mobilise the ambulances and all (staff) to come to the rescue.

“So far, we have been able to rescue two persons who were severely injured and they have been rushed to the Rivers State Teaching Hospital.”

Okoro and Wachukwu separately said the rescue operation was ongoing and would continue until all those trapped were rescued.

As of 4pm, rescue efforts by the Police, the State Government Agencies, the Red Cross Society, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Julius Berger and others were still ongoing.

One local, who sought to be anonymous, said “the building fell after 9 am. The people under were shouting ‘help, help’. But it was by 11 am that Government people came to help them.”

She said the building was meant to be a hotel, with the only structure left standing, a high rise column, meant to serve as housing “for the hotel lift.”

Another local claimed that the owner, said to have “gone back to his base abroad,” exceeded the three-storey approval given to him, “and was even taking the building to be five storeys.”

It could not be confirmed if the approval was for a three-storey building, but building experts at the scene said there were signs that the construction was “proceeding to the 5th floor.”

According to the locals, a female food vendor, her child and the girlfriend of one of the workers were also trapped beneath the rubbles.

Our source said workers who could not afford to go home to as far as Lagos (Port Harcourt Township) or secure accommodation within the Peter Odili Road, a highbrow area, were forced to find shelter at the ground floor of the collapsed building.

These group of persons, their friends and vendors were those said to be currently trapped beneath the rubbles of the collapsed building.

He said, “The site came this morning and told everyone to leave the compound. But these refused to leave. Now see what has happened.”

As of 5.40pm on Wednesday when BusinessDay’s crew of reporters left the scene of the collapsed building, rescue efforts were still ongoing