Tragedy Strikes in Edo as Building Collapse Leaves Three Hospitalize
……As Aiguobarueghian Visits Scene, Condemns substandard materials
Eben Enasco Reporting
A devastating two story building collapse in Edo State has left three people critically injured and rushed to the hospital, for revival.
The incident sparked outrage over the use of substandard materials in construction by residents and the Member representing Ovia North East Constituency 1, Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian.
The horrible rubbled incident was said to have occurred early Saturday during the heavy rainfall, when the residential building at Ekhator Street, Ekosodin Area housing some students of the University of Benin suddenly crumbled, trapping occupants beneath the rubble.
on the eyewitness account, the owner of the building, name withheld, was said to have been away but his daughter who unfortunately was not part of his trip was trapped in the collapsed building.
She was said to have got her body twisted awkwardly when the local rescue team, evacuated them from the rubble where she was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for medical attention.
Edo State House of Assembly Majority Leader, and member representing Ovia North East Constituency 1, Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian, visited the scene and expressed dismay over the substandard materials used in the building’s construction .
“This is unacceptable,” Aiguobarueghian said. “The use of inferior materials has led to yet another avoidable tragedy. We must hold contractors and builders accountable for their actions.”
Aiguobarueghian called for an immediate investigation into the collapse building and vowed to push for stricter regulations on building materials and construction practices.
“This tragedy serves as a wake-up call,” she emphasized. “We must prioritize safety and quality in our buildings to prevent such incidents in the future.”
Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene, with rescuers scrambling to free those trapped. “It was like a nightmare,” said one witness. “We heard screams and rushed to help. It’s a miracle more lives weren’t lost.”
They blamed the incident on the building owner for refusing to employ experts, saying, “he was the bricklayer, the iron bender and the foundation layer without consulting any expert”.
At the scene of the incident, frustrated students and local residents expressed their discontent and disappointment over the delayed response of rescue teams from NEMA, the fire service, and the Road Safety Commission.
As at press time it’s unclear whether more bodies are beneath the rubble, despite their presence, as the responders seemed ineffective due to a lack of necessary equipment, further exacerbating the situation.
The incident has raised concerns about the prevalence of substandard buildings in Edo State and the need for urgent action to address the issue.
An investigation is expected to be launched into the building collapse in the coming days.