BUILDING COLLAPSE IN RIVERS STATE LEAVES 7 INJURED, COMMISSIONER ATTRIBUTES INCIDENT TO USE OF SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS

A three-story building under construction in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State collapsed on Saturday, January 4, 2025, leaving seven persons injured. The incident occurred around 1:30 pm at Aboga along the Igwuruta-Etche road.

Eyewitnesses reported that the building collapsed while construction work was ongoing, trapping nine workers underneath the rubble. Fortunately, all nine workers were rescued alive, with seven of them sustaining various degrees of injuries.

The rescue effort was a joint operation involving the local community, the Ikwerre Local Government Area authority, and officials from the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, as well as the Ministry of Special Duties. Excavators, fire trucks, and ambulances were deployed to the scene to ensure a timely rescue.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, attributed the building collapse to the use of substandard materials by the developer. He stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the building’s decking was constructed with 12mm rods, which is a clear violation of construction standards.

Bipi also accused the developer of building without a government-approved building plan. He announced that the Ministry has sealed the property pending investigation into the cause of the building collapse and has asked the property owner to report to the Ministry for investigation.

This incident marks the fourth building collapse in Rivers State within the past three months. The Commissioner expressed the government’s dissatisfaction with the repeated incidents of building collapse in the state, which have resulted in loss of life, injuries, and damages to developers.

Bipi warned that the government will no longer tolerate situations where builders violate building codes, including building without government-approved plans and compromising safety standards by using substandard materials.

The Rivers State government has vowed to take decisive action to prevent future building collapses and ensure that developers adhere to safety standards and building codes.