A Port Harcourt building collapse has claimed one life and left several others trapped beneath the rubble, sparking a major rescue operation in Rivers State.
The four-storey structure was still under construction when it collapsed on Wednesday morning in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area. The incident came less than 48 hours after another building collapsed in the Rumuolumeni area of the city.
Witnesses said panic spread through the neighbourhood as the structure suddenly came crashing down. Several people were reportedly inside the building when the incident happened.
Residents rushed to the scene and joined rescue efforts before emergency responders arrived. They pulled some victims from the debris, while others remained trapped beneath the rubble.
One eyewitness said a trapped victim repeatedly cried for help from beneath the collapsed structure. The witness added that rescuers could see part of the victim’s body but could not reach him because of the heavy debris.
Witnesses at the scene also said the site engineer supervising the project was among those trapped.
Rescue workers later pulled one body from the rubble, confirming the first fatality from the incident. However, authorities have not released an official figure for the total number of casualties.
The Port Harcourt building collapse has drawn widespread attention as rescue teams continue searching for survivors and working to reach those still trapped.
Security agencies and emergency responders quickly mobilised to the scene. Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, monitored the rescue operation. Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Amairigha Edward Hart, also visited the site.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, personnel of the Fire Service, members of the Nigerian Red Cross Society and medical teams joined the rescue effort.
One of the site workers, Oladimeji Taiwo, said he narrowly escaped the tragedy. The carpenter explained that he was outside the building when it came down.
Taiwo claimed the site engineer raised concerns about the structure shortly before the collapse. He also said he noticed cracks on parts of the building before the incident.
According to him, the structure collapsed less than 10 minutes after the warning was given.
The worker estimated that between eight and 10 people were inside the building when it came down.
Speaking at the scene, Taiwo appealed for urgent help for those still trapped. He also said many of his personal belongings remained buried beneath the rubble.
As of Wednesday afternoon, rescue teams had rescued three people from the debris. Search operations continued as emergency workers carefully cleared the rubble and searched for more survivors.
According to daily post,The latest Port Harcourt building collapse has renewed concerns about construction safety standards. It has also sparked fresh debate about compliance with building regulations. The incident comes only days after another building collapse occurred in the city.
