A tragic building collapse in Anambra State has claimed the lives of a woman and her 14-year-old daughter, raising fresh concerns about building safety and compliance with construction regulations.
The incident occurred at about 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday at Anata Anaba, Okpoko, in Ogbaru Local Government Area, when a three-storey building under construction collapsed onto a neighbouring bungalow where the victims were staying.
Eyewitnesses said the structure reportedly made loud noises, with cracks appearing in its walls before it eventually came crashing down, throwing residents into panic.
Other people trapped in the rubble were rescued by emergency responders and taken to hospital for treatment.
Residents alleged that concerns had previously been raised about the suitability of the waterlogged land for a three-storey building. They claimed that an engineer initially handling the project had recommended limiting the structure to two floors because of the ground conditions, but the advice was allegedly ignored.
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The deceased woman was identified as the landlady of the neighbouring bungalow, while her 14-year-old daughter was her youngest child. Her son, identified as Chimobi, said he was outside when the building collapsed, while his mother and sister were inside their bedroom.
According to the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, the building was unapproved, and authorities had previously issued a stop-work notice and ordered its demolition.
The commissioner attributed the collapse to the use of substandard building materials and poor construction practices. He also disclosed that the state government would investigate other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.
The tragedy has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations, proper structural assessments and the use of approved construction materials to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
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