•As Scores Severally Burnt In Rivers Fire Outbreak
Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Evans Bipi, has blamed developers for the collapse of a three-storey building in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
A three-storey building under construction at Aboga, along Igwuruta-Etche Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State collapsed on Saturday, leaving seven persons severely injured.
Eyewitness account told newsmen that the incident occurred at about 1:30pm while workers were on the site, noting that no life was lost.
According to our source who pleaded anonymity, seven injured workers out of nine, who were working in the building were rescued with various degrees of injuries, while two of them jumped off the building.
One of the eyewitnesses said, “Getting here, I saw the building collapsing. While some of the workers were able to jump out, others could not as the building collapsed on them.
Addressing Journalists on getting to the building site, the Rivers Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi described the incident as unfortunate, stating that it is sad to begin the year 2025 with a building collapse.
Bipi who attributed the incident to the use of substandard materials by the developer, which he said he had warned against in previous cases, also accused them of building without a government-approved building plan.
He however ordered that the site be sealed pending an investigation into the cause of the building collapse.
The commissioner said, “It is unfortunate that we are beginning the year with this tragic incident, though no life was lost. This is the 4th building collapse we have witnessed in the state since I assumed office.
“Preliminary investigation at the scene of the incident shows that the building may have collapsed due to the use of substandard materials by the developer.
“Specifically, the use of 12mm rods for decking a building is a clear violation of construction standards. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, as similar cases of building collapse in the state have been linked to the same cause which is the use of inferior materials.”
Also, the Commissioner, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Emeka Kalu, said aside from the initial rescue efforts by residents in the neighbourhood, the authority of the Ikwerre Local Government Area and officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, as well as the Ministry of Special Duties, moved to the site in time while responding to distress calls.
He said the ministries immediately deployed excavators, a fire truck, and an ambulance to ensure the timely rescue of the victims, some of whom were trapped in the rubble.
The Commissioner in the statement, summoned the property owner to report to the Ministry for questioning in tandem with investigations.
He further said, “As a government, we are not happy with the repeated causes of building collapse in the state that have claimed lives, injured several persons, and caused avoidable damages and losses to developers in the state.
“Let me warn that we will no longer condone a situation where some builders will continue to violate the building code, including building without a government-approved building plan and compromising safety standards by using substandard materials in a bid to save cost.”
In another development, over 20 persons including children were reported to have been severely burnt in a fire outbreak allegedly caused by a gas explosiion at Big tree area of Orazi in Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers State on Saturday.
A source told our correspondent that the victims of the explosion were rushed to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and that they are currently receiving treatment, no death was recorded as at the time of filling this report.
A relative of some of the victims, who said his in-law, the husband and two of their kids were involved in the incident told our correspondent that the owner of the Gas retailing shop where the explosion occured, was also doing welding at the place.
He said it took the intervention of in residents and fire fighters who later came to put off the fire which happens in the afternoon.
