An appendage of a two-story hotel has collapsed in the Ada-George area of Port Harcourt, leaving four injured individuals who are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the incident took place at approximately 6:15 am on Thursday, at the two-storey building owned by 1708 Hotel. The hotel is located in Rumuoke by Okilton Junction, off Ada George.
The collapse occurred while residents of the area were still asleep, and the building’s occupants, who were mainly site workers, were preparing to start their day’s work.
Emeka Woke, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, visited the site to inspect the level of damage and investigate the cause of the incident. Woke stated that the government would take all necessary measures to determine the immediate and remote reasons behind the collapse.
“Earlier this morning, Governor Siminialaye Fubara was informed about this building collapse. He immediately directed me to visit the site on his behalf, assess the extent of the damage, and report back to him,” said Woke.
“After inspecting the building, we conducted a personnel audit. According to the available records, no lives were lost, but we have been informed that four individuals sustained injuries and have been taken to the hospital for treatment.”
Woke further mentioned that the governor has ordered the sealing off of the premises of the collapsed building pending a thorough investigation.
Rescue operations are currently underway at the site to evacuate the rubble. Isa Aghaebne, the engineer responsible for conducting the integrity test on the collapsed building, stated that the examination would commence on Friday.
“We cannot determine the exact cause until the integrity test is completed, which is expected to take approximately two weeks. It could be due to foundation failure or a failure of the structure itself,” Aghaebne explained.
NAN reports that the collapsed building was part of an expansion project for an existing building.
As investigations continue, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the importance of ensuring strict adherence to building codes and safety regulations to prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future.
