At least four people sustained varying degrees of injuries when a storey building under construction in Akure, the Ondo State capital, suffered a ‘partial’ collapse.
The victims, who are mostly construction workers, were working on the building located in the popular Cathedral area in Akure when the incident occurred.
Several witnesses said the building beside the former secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) suddenly collapsed, trapping some workers on the site.
A firefighter in the state fire service, Moses Akinlabi, who confirmed the incident to Peoples Gazette, said the agency received a distress call about the building collapse from residents, and personnel rushed to the scene for a rescue mission.
“The injured victims have been rushed to the hospital and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state government has sealed off the construction site and vowed to investigate the cause of the building collapse.
Addressing journalists at the site, the state commissioner for physical planning and urban development, Sunday Olajide, said the state government would unravel both the immediate and long-term causes of the incident.
Mr Olajide also issued a stern warning to developers about the use of substandard building materials, urging them to prioritise residents’ safety.
He, however, called on developers to always secure the necessary permits and approvals before commencing construction projects.
