Tragedy was averted in Amangwu Ohokobe Ndume, Umuahia North LGA of Abia State, when a two-storey building under construction collapsed on Saturday evening. Fortunately, no workers were inside the building at the time of the incident.
The cause of the collapse has not been officially determined, but residents suspect substandard materials and poor supervision.
“The postponement [of interior work] was the saving grace for the workers because if they were at work when the house collapsed, who knows what would have happened to them?” said Nkechi, a local resident.
Residents alleged that the site engineer used low-quality materials, while others blamed inadequate oversight. The engineer has reportedly gone into hiding since the incident.
This collapse echoes a similar incident in June, where a three-storey building under construction in Obingwu, Ukwa West LGA of Abia, killed five workers.
The narrow escape in Amangwu Ohokobe Ndume has sparked concerns about building safety and regulation enforcement in Abia State. Authorities are urged to investigate the incident and take measures to prevent future tragedies.
Nkechi added that the site engineer had gone underground after the incident, highlighting the need for accountability.
